Table of Contents
Introduction
A tragic stampede in Hathras, UP, led to the deaths and injuries of over 120 people, mostly women and children, during a ‘Satsang’ gathering. Let us explain everything you need to know about the Hathras stampede.
Hathras ‘Satsang’ Tragedy
On Tuesday, 2 July, a stampede at a religious event in Pulrai village, Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district, led to at least 121 deaths and 25 people injured.
The event was hosted by a self-proclaimed godman, Bhole Baba. Officials had permitted 80,000 people to attend, but about 2.5 lakhs showed up, causing severe overcrowding. when the preacher was about to leave thousands of devotees rushed towards his car, trying to collect dust from the path as a sign of devotion. In the surge, many people sitting or squatting on the ground were crushed.
Who is Bhole Baba?
Bhole Baba is Surajpal, and he is from Bahadur Nagar in Kasganj district. He left his job as a policeman in the late 1990s to follow his spiritual interests and began conducting ‘satsang’ (religious sermons). Bhole Baba is known for his unique preaching style, which attracted many lower-middle-class followers in western Uttar Pradesh.
His influence extends beyond western Uttar Pradesh to parts of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
The UP police lodged an FIR against the organizers of the event, but Bhole Baba’s name is not on the list of accused.
Under Sections of (BNS) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita FIR has been registered-
Section 105: Culpable homicide not amounting to murder
Section 110: Attempt to commit culpable homicide
Section 126(2): Wrongful restraint
Section 223: Disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant
Section 238: Causing disappearance of evidence
Also read, Rights Against Police Everyone Should Know
Public Interest Litigation
A PIL has been filed in the Allahabad High Court asking for a CBI investigation into the Hathras stampede.
PIL claims that district authorities were entirely responsible for the negligence that caused the stampede. The plea worries that such failures in maintaining law and order could make people lose faith in the government.
The PIL also mentions that despite the state government investing heavily in better administrative techniques to prevent such incidents, the tragedy still occurred.