A satsang (religious congregation) on Jul 2 in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, ended in tragedy after hundreds of attendees were crushed in a stampede. Over 120 people, including young children, have died and about 300 injured in what is being known as one of the worst accidents in recent years. While the exact cause of the stampede is under investigation, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed district officials to expedite relief efforts and ordered a probe into the incident.
Stampede While Leaving Venue
A large crowd had gathered in Hathras for a sermon by the self-styled religious leader Bhole Baba. When people were leaving the venue at around 3:30 pm, a fierce dust storm erupted, sparking panic and causing people to get crushed and trampled. According to the Agence France-Presse news agency, many even collapsed into a roadside drain in the chaos.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh told the Press Trust of India that overcrowding was one of the reasons behind the stampede. Devotees were running after the vehicle of Bhole Baba while some even bent down to collect soil from the venue and fell. This caused the people to trip over each other and cause the tragic incident.
Over 120 Dead, Toll Rising
According to the Office of the Relief Commissioner, 121 people, including children, have lost their lives in the stampede. Hathras chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Manjeet Singh earlier said 32 bodies were brought here, and 19 of them have been identified. "We are identifying the rest of them..." he told Hindustan Times.
About 23 bodies were taken to Aligarh and a total of three injured people are receiving treatment, district magistrate Vishak G Iyer said. One of the injured persons is in critical condition. Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said most of the victims were women and children.
FIR Registered
A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence), a police officer said.
According to the PTI, 'mukhya sevadar' Devprakash Madhukar and other organisers have been named in the first information report (FIR) filed at the Sikandara Rao police station late Tuesday, a senior officer confirmed. About 2.5 lakh devotees were admitted to the venue where only about 80,000 were permitted.
The preacher Bhole Baba has not been named in the FIR. The Uttar Pradesh government said that Agra’s additional director general of police and Aligarh divisional commissioner are part of a team that will probe the incident. The team has been asked to give its report within 24 hours.
Bhole Baba Issues Statement
Self-styled godman Narayan Hari, also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, had been on the run for several days since the incident. "We did not find Baba ji inside the campus...He is not here..." Sunil Kumar, Deputy superintendent of police, told the PTI during the initial investigation.
However, he has now appeared and given an oral statement to Asian News International. "I have faith that anyone who created the chaos would not be spared. Through my lawyer AP Singh, I have requested the members of the committee to stand with the bereaved families and the injured and help them throughout their lives," he said.
Bhole Baba is a former UP police staffer who worked with the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) for 18 years. He took voluntary retirement from the police in 1990, when he was posted in Etah, to pursue spirituality. He reportedly has a vast following in the Etah-Kasganj and the Braj regions among other pockets of UP.
PM Modi, Foreign Diplomats Express Condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the issue while speaking at the Lok Sabha on July 2. Expressing condolences, he said, "I am receiving news of a tragic death in Hathras. I express my condolences to those who have lost their lives and wish for the injured to recover soon."
PM Modi added, "The UP state government is engaged in rescue operations. The central government is in contact. All possible help will be provided to the victims."
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in a post on X said he was deeply distressed by the tragic incident.
The Hathras stampede has made international news and people from across the world are expressing concern over the loss of lives. Diplomats from several countries, including Germany, France, China and Israel, also extended condolences to the victims' families.
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