UP Hathras stampede: Rahul Gandhi to visit site, interact with victims

Hathras stampede: The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi plans to visit stampede-affected Hathras that claimed 121 lives and injured numerous others in Uttar Pradesh, said Congress party general secretary K C Venugopal.

Calling it an “unfortunate incident,” he said, “The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is planning to visit Hathras. He will go there and interact with the people who are affected.”

The tragic Hatras stampede incident that occurred on Tuesday in Uttar Pradesh claimed the lives of 121 people, mostly women and injured as many as 35 people.

The prime facie report submitted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of the Sikandra Rao division of the district suggested that the stampede occurred when Bhole Baba was leaving the venue after the ‘satsang’, as his followers started running towards him for a darshan and for collecting the soil from around his feet, reported PTI. 

The self-styled godman Bhole Baba also identified as Suraj Pal, is also known as Narayan Saakar Hari and Jagat Guru Vishwahari.

An FIR has been lodged against Devprakash Madhukar, referred to as 'Mukhya Sewadar' and the other organisers of the 'satsang'. Bhole Baba, who is currently untraceable, has not been named in the FIR.

Uttar Pradesh police have launched a search operation at Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri district.

FIR has been filed under Sections 105, 110, 126(2), 223, and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

After the incident, Bhole baba said the chaos erupted after he left the 'satsang' venue in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. The godman also blamed 'anti-social elements' for the occurrence of stampede.

The Godman expressed his "deepest condolences" to the family of those killed in the stampede, while also hoping for a speedy recovery of the injured.

Organizers allegedly used sticks to try and restrain the crowd in water and mud-filled fields, exacerbating the situation and causing casualties among women, children, and men.

The FIR stated that despite efforts from police and administrative officials, who utilized available resources to transport the injured to hospitals, the organizers did not cooperate.