A Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into the stampede in Hathras has taken 119 statements and on Tuesday submitted a report saying that the group arranging the ‘Satsang’ invited more people than was allowed.
Sources claim that the investigation held the committee in charge of planning the religious gathering, known as “Satsang,” liable for the stampede catastrophe. The officials had granted permission, but the committee had not investigated the location, had not made sufficient plans, and had invited more people than was allowed. The almost 300-page report contains statements from 119 individuals, including injured devotees and relatives of the deceased.
Furthermore, the SIT recorded testimony from police officers on duty on July 2 and from DM Hathras, Ashish Kumar, SP Nipun Agarwal, SDM, and CO Sikandrarao, who granted permission for the Satsang. Aligarh Commissioner Chaitra V. and ADG Agra Zone Anupam Kulshreshtha were present. The report is in the government’s possession.
An eyewitness to the incident stated earlier on Monday that the stampede was caused by a huge number of devotees trying to collect “Baba’s Charan Dhul,” or dirt off the godman’s foot.
Mughalgarhi village resident Sudhir Pratap Singh stated, “The incident happened after ‘Baba’ announced that devotees should take soil from around his feet. The believers hurried to collect the soil, but as they did, they began to topple over and pile up.” “Amid the stampede, Baba’s convoy left the location. Only people who helped the devotees who were there were the locals and the officials,” Singh added.
In the Hathras stampede case, testimony was taken by the Uttar Pradesh Judicial Commission team from multiple eyewitnesses. Meanwhile, AP Singh, the godman’s representative, asserted that the accident was brought on by men who sprayed poison during the event. Singh claimed that, after causing the stampede, the conspirators left the area. “The stampede incident at the Satsang was not an accident but a conspiracy,” the attorney claimed.
The incident happened on July 2 during a religious “Satsang” held by self-styled godman Suraj Pal, also known as “Bhole Baba,” in Fulari village in the Hathras region of Uttar Pradesh.
The primary accused in the Hathras stampede incident, Devprakash Madhukar, appeared before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Saturday and was subsequently placed under 14 days of judicial detention. The judge asked him if he had formal consent for the event and who provided it. In response, Madhukar stated that he had authorization from the SDM to host an event for 80,000 people. In response to a question regarding publicity, Madhukar denied any involvement.
A reward of ₹1 lakh was announced for information leading to Madhukar’s capture, as he had been evading law enforcement. On July 5, in the nation’s capital, he was eventually taken into custody. According to the police, two more accused, Ramprakash Shakya and Sanju Yadav, were also taken into custody.
“Bhole Baba” declared in a video statement earlier on July 6 that “those who created the chaos will not be spared.” Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as Suraj Pal, the self-proclaimed godman, expressed his sorrow and condoled the deaths caused by the incident.
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