'Nod Granted Without Inspection': Hathras Stampede Report Cites Lapses By Organisers, Local Officials; 6 Suspended

'Nod Granted Without Inspection': Hathras Stampede Report Cites Lapses By Organisers, Local Officials; 6 Suspended

PTI

Lucknow,  9 July 2024 The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday suspended the local SDM, a circle officer and four others on the basis of the SIT report on the Hathras stampede that did not rule out a “big conspiracy” behind the incident.

The SIT report also flagged lapses on the part of the local administration that led to the incident that claimed 121 lives on July 2.

The report held the organisers responsible for the stampede, claiming they did not make arrangements to manage the crowd and also fixed the responsibility of administration, according to official sources.

It said the local police and administration did not take the event seriously and failed to provide proper information to senior officers.

On the basis of the SIT report, six people, including and SDM, circle officer, and a tehsildar have been suspended by the government.

The SIT submitted its report to the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday, a senior official said.

The SIT comprised Additional Director General of Police (Agra Zone) Anupam Kulshrestha and Aligarh Divisional Commissioner Chaitra V.

Kulshrestha told PTI on July 5 that they have not ruled out the conspiracy angle in the stampede and added that the culpability of the incident was on the organisers of the event.

A separate judicial commission headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Brijesh Kumar Shrivastava, and retired IPS Hemant Rao is also probing the Hathras stampede case.

Government agencies, including police, have so far blamed the organisers for the mismanagement at the event, noting that the size of the crowd exceeded to over 2.50 lakh from the permitted 80,000.

The lawyer of the 'godman', however, on July 6 claimed “some poisonous substance” sprayed by “some unidentified men” triggered the stampede.

So far, nine people, including key accused Devprakash Madhukar, have been arrested in connection with the stampede.

Madhukar was the main organiser and fundraiser of the July 2 'satsang' of self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba at Phulrai village.

The godman was not mentioned as accused in the FIR lodged at the local Sikandrarau police station on July 2.