The three-member judicial commission set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the Maha Kumbh stampede will visit the site on Friday, panel head Harsh Kumar, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court, said.
Kumar also stated that the commission has a month to complete its investigation but will try to expedite the process.
Kumar, along with panel members former director general of police (DGP) V K Gupta and retired IAS officer D K Singh, reached their assigned office here and began their work on Thursday, an official statement said.
"We have taken charge within hours of the announcement as the probe must be prioritised," Kumar said.
Asked about the timeline for the probe, he said, "We have a one-month deadline, but we will endeavour to expedite it." When asked whether the three members would be investigating separate aspects, Kumar replied, "We will discuss this among ourselves. I cannot go into detail right now."
Later, the panel members also interacted with the media on Thursday. The other two panel members, Gupta and Singh, were also present during the briefing.
"Tomorrow (Friday), we will visit the site to conduct an inspection and analyse the possible causes and circumstances surrounding the incident. We will carefully consider all factors and are required to submit our report within one month," said Kumar.
Regarding the probe, Kumar explained, "First, we must examine the causes. The solution will come only after identifying the root cause. Initially, we will focus on understanding the causes, and then we will propose preventive measures for the future."
At least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in the pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh on Wednesday as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar.
According to police, the incident occurred when the crowd jumped over barricades, crushing those waiting on the other side.
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