Hathras stampede: FIR lodged against organisers

Hathras (UP), July 03: An FIR has been registered under sections 105, 110, 126(2), 223, and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, against Dev Prakash Madhukar, referred to as 'Mukhya Sewadar', and other organisers of the religious event in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras where a tragic stampede occurred claiming 116 lives.

Advocate Gaurav Dwivedi has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Allahabad High Court, seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the Hathras Stampede incident.

The disaster struck during a religious discourse (Satsang) in Hathras district on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths, mostly women and children, and leaving more than 300 injured.

According to reports, the incident took place while religious preacher ‘Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba’ was addressing his followers in a specially erected tent between the villages of Fhulrai and Mughalghadi in the Sikandra Rau area.

The exact cause of the stampede remains unclear, with various theories circulating.

Reports suggest that the hot and humid conditions at the venue caused discomfort among attendees, leading to panic and a rush to exit, which resulted in the stampede.

A police officer at the scene said that over one lakh people had gathered to attend the event.

As the satsang concluded, many attendees rushed to leave while others moved in the opposite direction to touch the baba’s feet and receive his blessings, creating chaos.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, after a high-level meeting on Tuesday evening, stated, "The state government will thoroughly investigate whether this was an accident or a conspiracy. We will take the strictest action against those responsible for the tragedy."

The Chief Minister is expected to visit Hathras on Wednesday, if the weather clears up, allowing his aircraft to take off, said official sources.

Inspector General (Aligarh range) Shalabh Mathur said that only temporary permission was granted for the gathering.

However, Mahesh Chandra, a member of the committee that organised the Satsang, blamed the administration's "inefficiency" for the stampede. He alleged, "People had fallen on the ground, and crowds were running over them with no one to control them."

The huge number of casualties also exposed the lack of local medical infrastructure. There were not enough beds to accommodate the injured, and those brought alive were reportedly dying due to a lack of necessary medical facilities. "Our hospital does not have enough oxygen to revive those who were unconscious," said a medical officer at Sikandra Rau Trauma Centre.