Hathras stampede : NCW chief visits site of incident; UP govt orders judicial probe

Uttar Pradesh Police filed an FIR on Wednesday at Sikandra Rau police station regarding the death of 121 people in a stampede during a religious event organised in Hathras district on Tuesday. However, Bhole Baba, the man behind the ‘Satsang’ that led to the stampede, has not been named in the FIR.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited Hathras on Wednesday following a stampede at a religious congregation that claimed the lives of 121 people on Tuesday. Previously, the state government announced compensation of ₹2 lakh to the families of those who perished in the tragedy.

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– Scores of bodies lay on ice blocks inside the government hospital on Tuesday night following a deadly stampede at a religious gathering. Outside, in the drizzle, grieving relatives awaited to take their loved ones’ remains home. Officials confirmed 121 deaths as of Wednesday morning. The victims gathered among thousands near Phulrai village in the Sikandrarau area for a ‘Satsang’ by religious preacher Bhole Baba.

– Meanwhile, RSS and Bajrang Dal workers and volunteers stayed at the hospital throughout the afternoon. They distributed water packets and guided medical procedures to relatives of victims who were in shock and grappling with the tragedy. “The number of ambulances was inadequate for the bodies we have seen here today,” Aniket, a Bajrang Dal volunteer, told PTI while standing guard at the gate of the TB Department building, drenched in sweat.

– A woman sat in tears amid five or six bodies in a truck, pleading for assistance in retrieving her daughter’s body. The state government stated that Agra’s additional director general of police and Aligarh divisional commissioner are among those tasked with investigating the incident. They have been instructed to submit their findings within 24 hours.

– District Magistrate Ashish Kumar told the media that the event was a private function authorised by the sub-divisional magistrate. The local administration ensured security outside the venue, while internal arrangements were the responsibility of the organisers, he stated.