The committee responsible for holding 'satsang' in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh where 121 people were killed in a stampede has been held accountable for the tragedy by a Special Investigation Team probing the incident. The committee invited more people than permitted, failed to make adequate arrangements and the officials did not inspect the site despite granting permission.
The SIT recorded 119 statements and submitted its report on Tuesday stating that the committee organising the 'satsang' was responsible for inviting more people than permitted, reported ANI quoting sources a saying.
The 119 statements recorded by the SIT in its 300-page report include those from family members of the deceased and injured devotees.
The SIT also recorded statements from District Magistrate Hathras, Ashish Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Nipun Agarwal, Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Circle Officer Sikandrarao. The officials had permitted the satsang. Statements of police personnel on duty for the Satsang on July 2 were also recorded by the SIT.
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, according to a PTI report.
"The SIT has submitted its report to the government," Director of Information, Shishir said. He, however, did not reveal the contents of the report.
Earlier, Kulshrestha told PTI that they have not ruled out the conspiracy angle in the stampede adding that the culpability of the incident was on the organisers of the event.
The incident is being probed by a separate judicial commission headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Brijesh Kumar Shrivastava, and retired IPS Hemant Rao.
The lawyer of the self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba, at whose satsang the tragedy struck, claimed "some poisonous substance" sprayed by "some unidentified men" triggered the stampede.