Prayagraj: A three-member judicial commission set up to probe the Mauni Amavasya stampede at the Maha Kumbh inspected the site on Friday and met officials to collect information on the circumstances that led to the tragedy.

The panel is headed by Harsh Kumar, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court, and also comprises former director general of police (DGP) V K Gupta and retired IAS officer D K Singh.

Kumar said the topography and circumstances of the location are being studied and a thorough analysis of CCTV footage and other evidence will be conducted, according to an official statement.

Following the stampede early Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath formed the three-member judicial commission to investigate the incident.

According to the official notification, the commission will examine the causes and circumstances of the stampede and provide recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future.

The commission gathered detailed information from officials regarding the circumstances of the incident and the geographical layout of the area.

Kumar emphasized that while the incident was an unfortunate one, the team is systematically analyzing the reasons behind it.

He mentioned that an initial site inspection has been completed, but if necessary, the team will revisit the location.

He assured that while the investigation will be conducted with urgency, it will not disrupt the ongoing Maha Kumbh arrangements, according to a statement.

The commission aims to reach a well-founded conclusion based on an in-depth analysis of all facts, according to the statement.

The panel also plans to visit hospitals and speak with those injured in the incident. Kumar stated that insights from the victims will help steer the investigation in the right direction.

Instead of focusing on just one aspect, the commission will consider all possible causes of the stampede. Notably, before arriving in Prayagraj, the three commission members had commenced work from their office in Lucknow’s Janpath area on Thursday.

Kumar emphasized that, given the urgency of the matter, the commission began its work just hours after the official announcement.

In the afternoon, the panel visited Sangam Nose, where the stampede took place, accompanied by Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand, DIG Vaibhav Krishna, and SSP Rajesh Dwivedi, who kept briefing the panel members.

Sangam Nose is THE triangular landmass that is sandwiched between the Ganga in the north and the Yamuna in the south, before they merge.

The panel moved around the area amid heavy security comprising scores of personnel from the state police and Rapid Action Force, holding a rope cordon around the commission members and officers.

From there, the members went to the Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital in the city, where those injured in the stampede are admitted. They interacted with some patients, their kin and hospital staff for an update on the situation.

“I don’t want to comment right now. Today we just visited the spots and reviewed the situation,” Kumar said in a brief statement to reporters.

According to police, the stampede broke out as the crowd jumped barricades, crushing those waiting for their turn on the other side.