Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu on Tuesday ordered a probe into the chaos that led to the death of one person at the Vadodara railway station after a crowd of around 15,000 people gathered to get a glimpse of superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who was travelling via train to promote his upcoming film "Raees".
“Directed DG RPF to investigate the matter and take stern action against any lapse,” Prabhu said on Twitter.
Gujarat Railway Police has also ordered an inquiry into the matter that led to the death of one Farid Khan Pathan during the rush.
Sharad Singhal, Western Railway Superintendent of Police (SP), Vadodara Division, while confirming the death of Pathan, said two police constables were also injured in the incident.
"When police was trying to control the crowd from running behind the moving train, 45-year-old Farid Khan Pathan fell unconscious and subsequently died in the hospital. Two of our police constables were also injured in the chaos," said Singhal, adding that a Deputy SP rank officer would probe the incident.
"I have ordered an inquiry into the entire incident to find out whether the organizers had taken any permission for such event or not. If yes, then who gave them the permission and how such as a large number of people were allowed to gather at the station," said Singhal.
Farid Khan, who died at the station was a resident of Vadodara, was a member of Gujarat unit of Samajwadi Party and earlier served as it's state minority cell president. He then resigned from the post in 2012, said Gujarat SP spokesperson Kiran Kansara.
According to Singhal, an overwhelming number of fans of the Bollywood superstar converged at the station hoping that Shah Rukh Khan would click photos upon his arrival at the station.
The Bollywood superstar boarded the August Kranti Rajdhani Express from Mumbai Central yesterday for Delhi as part of his promotional campaign 'Raees by Rail'. He was first greeted by fans yesterday evening at the Surat railway station and then came to Vadodara station at around 10:30 PM.
Among others, cricketers Irrfan and Yusuf Pathan, who reside in Vadodara, were also at the station to meet Shah Rukh Khan.
"Upon his arrival, Khan came out of his coach and greeted his fans for just 20 seconds. When the train started its journey for Godhra, people, who were hoping that Khan would once again come out, started running behind it.
“Attempting to control them, two of our policemen got injured while Farid Khan got unconscious and eventually died," Singhal said, adding whoever is responsible for the chaos will not be spared.
"We will investigate whether police failed to do its part or the organizers did not comply with rules and regulations. We will take action on all those who were responsible, even if it was Shah Rukh Khan," he asserted.
