Rahul Gandhi meets kin of those killed in Hathras stampede

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said mistakes led to the stampede at a religious congregation in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras on July 2 as he met kin of some of those killed there.

“It is a matter of grief. There have been mistakes and those should be looked into. The most important thing is that the families of those killed are poor and they must get more and more compensation in the time of need,” he said.

Gandhi requested Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath to pay generous compensation to the families of those killed. “They need compensation at this moment. It will have no significance if it is provided after six months, a year, or gets delayed,” said Gandhi, who visited Hatras two days after Adityanath announced a judicial probe into the stampede that left 121 people, mostly women, dead.

Gandhi, who met the kin in a park for about 30 minutes, said he asked them about their children and families. He added that they complained about the administration. “The required arrangement of the police was not there. I am trying to understand their situation… they are in pain and shock.”

Subhash Chand, who was among those who met Gandhi, said he told the Congress leader about the loss of his mother Munni Devi, 55. “I told him about what led to the stampede. The baba [Narayan Sarkar Hari alias Bhole Baba who held the congregation] fled the site…despite knowing that people were dying, he did not bother to return… They called a specified number of people. But people arrived in huge numbers. I told Rahul everything.”

Avdhesh Kumar, who also met Gandhi, said his two daughters went to the congregation. He added one of them, Lata Mani, 18, died in the lap of her sister, Vaishnavi, 17. “My younger daughter has been distraught and in tears ever since. Rahulji saw a photo of my deceased daughter on my mobile. He asked us about the baba. Rahul said that our issues would be taken up and he would try to help them.”

Inadequate arrangements have been blamed for the tragedy. Permission was given for a gathering of 80,000, but over 250,000 people showed up for the congregation near a highway.

The First Information Report filed in the case did not name the baba, who is believed to be at his heavily guarded ashram in Mainpuri, as a suspect. On Thursday, six people were arrested in the case.

Inspector-general (Aligarh range) Shalabh Mathur said on Thursday that the baba will be called for questioning if needed. He added action would be based on evidence.

Police said that a crowd was prevented from approaching the baba’s vehicle while he was leaving the congregation and this led to the stampede.