Kerala govt orders judicial probe into stampede

Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Saturday announced a judicial inquiry into the stampede that claimed 104 lives at Pullumeduner on Friday night.

Achuthanandan, who flew down by a helicopter to Kumali where the bodies of the victims were brought, also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the family of each of the victims.

The seriously injured would be given Rs 50,000 and those with minor injuries Rs 25,000. The government would meet the flight and road transport charges for taking the bodies of the victims to their respective places.

He said the government would try to get the services of a sitting high court judge for conducting the probe. The chief minister also reviewed with his cabinet colleagues the arrangements for transporting the bodies to their homes as most of the deceased were from the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The government had announced a three-day mourning in the state. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A K Antony cancelled their engagements in Kerala scheduled for Sunday in view of the tragedy.