Hathras stampede: Yogi points the way to judicial probe Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday inspected the site in Hathras where a stampede broke out during a religious event the previous day and ordered a judicial probe to determine whether it was an accident or a conspiracy. The CM also said that special operating procedures (SOPs) would be issued to prevent recurrence. Apart from announcing financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh (Rs 2 lakh each from the state and Centre) to the family of each deceased, the chief minister also said the UP government will bear the school education expenses of children affected by the tragedy. At least 121 people, including 106 women and seven children, were killed and over 250 seriously injured when a stampede broke out during a satsang (prayer gathering). The ceremony was conducted by self-styled godman Narayan Sakar Vishva Hari, also known as Bhole Baba, and was attended by thousands of people at Phulrai village in Sikandra Rao tehsil of Hathras district in Uttar Pradesh. “In this incident, around 121 devotees lost their lives, not only from UP but also from neighbouring states like Haryana and Rajasthan,” Yogi Adityanath said in a press conference. directions.
The chief minister said most of those who died were from 16 districts of UP, including Hathras, Badaun, Kasganj, Aligarh, Shahjahanpur, Agra, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Mathura and Lakhimpur Kheri. Two were from Madhya Pradesh and four others from Rajasthan. “From my conversation with the survivors, I realised that the incident took place when some women ran after the preacher who was going to touch his feet at the satsang when they were stopped by sevadars (volunteers) and a stampede ensued,” the UP CM said. The CM said the state government’s first priority is to run relief work, following which the accused will be questioned and then responsibilities will be fixed. “In such events, the organisers lead the meeting while the police or administrative officials usually remain in the outer circle. So, it is a matter of investigation as to where something went wrong,” he said. The CM said the sevadars should have helped the victims instead of running away after the situation went out of control. “We have formed an SIT under ADG Agra which will investigate the matter as there are many points that are yet to be investigated,” he said. To a question as to why the name of Bhagwan Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari was not included in the First Information Report, the CM said filing an FIR is the first step in any such investigation. “If the investigating agency finds more people guilty, more names will be included in the FIR,” he said. A judicial probe into the incident will be headed by a retired high court judge along with senior police and UP government officials. “Those who are behind the incident will be held responsible and punished,” the CM promised.
