Yogi Forms SIT For Hathras Probe, Says 'Sevadars' Should've Managed Crowd As Stampede Kills 121 From 4 States

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced on Wednesday a judicial probe into the Hathras stampede, a day after the tragic incident resulted in a death toll of 121, with most victims being women and children.

Yogi said that among those killed, six were from other states: four from Haryana, and one each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Along with the organisers, the UP CM held the “sevadars” (helpers) responsible for the death of devotees. “They (sevadars) should have helped manage the crowd. But what happened instead was devotees died one by one as the sevadars eloped from the stampede site,” he said.

“We have formed an SIT, led by ADG Agra. It has submitted a preliminary report. They have been told to investigate this deeply. There are several angles that need to be investigated. The state government has decided to go for a judicial inquiry which will be led by a retired High Court judge,” he said.

On Wednesday, police filed an FIR against the organisers, accusing them of hiding evidence and flouting conditions with 2.5 lakh people crammed into a venue in which only 80,000 were permitted. Without naming anyone, the UP CM said, “Some people have the tendency to politicise such sad and painful incidents.”

“These people have the nature of ‘chori bhi aur seenazori bhi’. Everyone knows with whom the gentleman’s (preacher) photos are and with whom he has political connections. You must have seen that during the rallies in the past days, where was the stampede and who was behind it? It is necessary for us to know about it. Those who play with the lives of innocent people will be held accountable for this,” he added.

A day after the stampede in Phulrai village at a congregation by religious preacher Bhole Baba snuffed out the lives of their loved ones, stunned families tried to come to terms with their loss. Crowds gathered around hospitals, some looking for those missing, some there to identify bodies and others tending to the injured. A team consisting of ADG Agra and Aligarh Divisional Commissioner has been constituted to inquire into the cause of the incident.

The report is likely to be submitted on Wednesday. According to the Office of the Relief Commissioner, the number of people injured stands at 28. Only four of the 121 bodies remained to be identified. Of the 116 who died on Tuesday, all were women, except for seven children and one man. A pile of slippers at the spot were mute testimony to the tragedy that had befallen so many. Where was Baba Narayan Hari, also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, the preacher who conducted the ‘satsang’? That was the question as he remained missing and police launched a search for him.

While the state police lodged an FIR against the organisers, his name is not in the list of accused though it is there in the complaint. Giving a sense of what took place, the FIR alleged that the organisers hid the actual number of devotees coming to the ‘satsang’ while seeking permission, did not cooperate in traffic management and hid evidence after the incident. The FIR apparently gave a clean chit to the police and administration, saying they did whatever possible from the available resources.