UP CM Yogi arrives in Hathras to meet victims of stampede incident

Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 3 (ANI): A day after the stampede incident in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh which claimed 121 lives, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrived in the district today to meet the victims and their families.

He reached the Hathras Police Lines and interacted with the officials to take stock of the status quo.

Earlier today, State Minister and BJP MLA Asim Arun said, “As per the information that the police has 121 people have died in the incident. 19 bodies are yet to be identified. The information that we have as of now through eyewitnesses – when the programme ended, the organisers did some mismanagement, stopped people, the exit path was narrow, it is also being said that needs to be verified that there was a pit, people fell over one another and died due to suffocation.”

He further stated that the CM has ordered a probe into the matter under the presidentship of the Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Agra Zone.

“The CM has ordered an investigation of the matter under the presidentship of the Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Agra Zone…”, Arun said.

As many as 121 people have died so far in the stampede incident which took place in a prayer meeting congregation ‘Satsang’ at the Phulrai Mugalgarhi village in Hathras, a statement from the Office of Relief Commissioner said.

Sandip Kumar Singh Lodhi, Minister of State for Education (Independent Charge) in the Government of Uttar Pradesh confirmed that a total of 35 people sustained injuries.

“It is a very unfortunate incident and we have been following up on every update from Hathras all night. It is really sad that the death toll has reached 121. About 35 people are injured,” said

An FIR has been registered against Devprakash Madhukar, referred to as ‘Mukhya Sewadar’ and other organisers of the ‘Satsang’, where the stampede took place.

Earlier today, a forensic team of the state police arrived at the incident site along with the dog squad where the belongings of the devotees were found.

A member of the forensic team said that the belongings of the devotees such as footwear and sheets were found at the site.

“There are no specific things to collect from here, it is only the belongings of the devotees such as shoes and sheets used for sitting. However, I will not be able to tell what we have found further”, he told reporters.

Uttar Pradesh police have also launched a search operation at Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri district in search of Narayan Saakar Hari also known as Bhole Baba, the preacher of the ‘Satsang’ in Hathras, where the stampede incident occurred on Tuesday claiming lives of over hundred people and leaving dozens of others injured.

The preacher however remains untraceable.

“We did not find Baba ji inside the campus. He is not here,” Deputy SP Sunil Kumar said earlier.

Uttar Pradesh Police has filed an FIR against the organisers of the religious event in Hathras. ‘Mukhya Sewadar’ Devprakash Madhukar and other organizers have been named as accused in the case registered at Sikandara Rao police station on Tuesday night.

An eyewitness in the Hathras stampede incident, Shakuntala Devi said, “There was a Satsang of Bhole Baba going on. Right after the Satsang finished, several people started coming out from there. A stampede took place as the road was uneven and people fell on each other…”

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday vowed a thorough investigation into the incident to determine whether it was an “accident or a conspiracy.”

CM Yogi affirmed that the state government is committed to uncovering the truth behind the Hathras incident.

“Doing politics instead of expressing condolences on such an incident is extremely unfortunate and condemnable. The government is already sensitive in this matter and the government will get to the bottom of this matter whether this is an accident or a conspiracy, and give appropriate punishment to all those responsible for this incident”, he said.

Chief Minister further said that to ensure a thorough investigation, a team has been formed under the chairmanship of Additional DG Agra, tasked with providing a detailed report.