Hathras Stampede: Rahul Gandhi Advocates for Victims’ Families
On Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh following a tragic stampede at a religious event in Hathras district. The stampede, which occurred on Tuesday, claimed the lives of 121 people, predominantly women.
A video circulating on social media captures Gandhi’s interactions with the families of the deceased and injured, as he provides them with reassurances.
Latest Updates on the Hathras Stampede:
1. Call for Increased Compensation: After his visit, Gandhi urged the Yogi Adityanath government to enhance the compensation for the victims’ families, highlighting their impoverished conditions. “I request UP CM Yogi Adityanath to provide compensation open-heartedly. If there is a delay in the compensation, it will not benefit anyone,” he stated.
2. Support from Gandhi: A local resident, whose sister-in-law perished in the stampede, shared with PTI news agency, “He (Rahul Gandhi) assured us that he will help us in every possible way through his party.”
3. Allegations of Poor Administration: The resident blamed poor administration at the Satsang, which was conducted by a cop-turned-preacher, Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba. Bhole Baba is currently missing, according to police reports. “My sister-in-law could have been saved,” she lamented.
4. Search for Bhole Baba: Police visited the ashram of Bhole Baba in Mainpuri, UP, on Thursday, only to find him absent. The visit was part of efforts to assess security measures.
5. FIR Against Organizers: An FIR has been filed against the event organizers for mismanagement and violation of norms. Interestingly, Bhole Baba has not been named in the FIR.
6. Overwhelming Crowd at the Event: The police disclosed that approximately 2.5 lakh people attended the Satsang, despite permission being granted for only about 80,000. This massive turnout, combined with other factors, led to the stampede when Bhole Baba was departing the venue. UP CM Adityanath elaborated on this during a press conference.
7. Chief Minister’s Assurance: Addressing the FIR, Adityanath indicated that the case has been primarily filed against the event organizers. “Whoever is responsible for this will come under its purview,” he affirmed when questioned about the preacher’s exclusion from the complaint. The Chief Minister also visited the stampede site in Sikandra and met with the victims’ families on Thursday.
8. Circumstances Leading to the Stampede: Adityanath explained that the stampede was triggered when a group of women tried to approach the preacher’s convoy, attempting to touch him. This action caused a surge of people pushing forward, resulting in the fatal stampede.
9. Judicial Inquiry: The BJP-led UP government has appointed a three-member judicial panel to investigate the incident thoroughly.
The devastating stampede in Hathras has left a community mourning and searching for answers. As investigations continue, the focus remains on providing justice and support to the victims’ families.
The Hathras stampede is a sobering reminder of the importance of effective crowd management and adherence to safety protocols during large gatherings. As authorities investigate the incident, it is crucial that justice is served and preventive measures are put in place to avoid such tragedies in the future.
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