'Cannot Rule Out Big Conspiracy': SIT Holds Organisers, Local Admin Responsible For Hathras Stampede

The SIT report held the organisers, the local police and the administration responsible for the tragedy and flagged lapses on the part of the local administration.

Police personnel guard during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's meeting with families of the victims of Hathras stampede incident.

Source : PTI

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the Hathras stampede, that led to the deaths of 121 people on July 2, submitted its report before the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government on Tuesday.

The SIT report held the organisers, the local police and the administration responsible for the tragedy and flagged lapses on the part of the local administration.  

The UP government suspended six officials, including the local SDM, a circle officer and four others based on the SIT report on the Hathras stampede that did not rule out a big conspiracy behind the incident. 

Though the SIT report did not mention the self-styled godman Bhole Baba, also known as Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari, among the guilty, it held the organisers responsible for the stampede, claiming they did not make arrangements to manage the crowd and also fixed the responsibility of administration. 

The victims of the stampede had come to attend a satsang, held by Bhole Baba in the Sikandra Rao area of Hathras, when they fell on the uneven surface while trying to collect the soil Bhole Baba had walked on before he left the venue. 

The SIT report said the local police and administration did not take the event seriously and failed to provide proper information to senior officers. In its preliminary investigation, the SIT has held the event organisers primarily responsible for the stampede on the basis of eyewitnesses and other evidence. 

The SIT also did not rule out any big conspiracy behind the incident and stated the need for a thorough investigation, officials said.

The lawyer of the 'godman' on July 6 claimed that some poisonous substance sprayed by some unidentified men triggered the stampede. The investigation committee also found the event organisers and the tehsil-level police and administration guilty. 

It said the local SDM, circle officer, tehsildar (revenue official), inspector, and outpost in charge were guilty of negligence in discharging their duties.

The Sub-District Magistrate of Sikandrarau granted permission for the event without inspecting the venue and did not even inform the senior officials, the report said, adding the official did not take the event seriously. 

The SIT recommended action against the concerned officials posted in Sikdanararau, including the SDM, circle officer, SHO Sikandrarau police station, tehsildar, and police outpost in charge of Kachora and Pora.  

"The organisers took permission to organise the programme by hiding facts. The conditions applicable for permission were not followed. The organisers did not make adequate and smooth arrangements by inviting an unexpected crowd. Nor were the conditions of permission given by the local administration for the program followed," the SIT report said.

"People associated with the organising committee have been found guilty of creating chaos," it said, adding that they engaged volunteers without proper police verification.

The SIT comprised Additional Director General of Police (Agra Zone) Anupam Kulshrestha and Aligarh Divisional Commissioner Chaitra V. It was formed immediately after the stampede. The SIT inspected the incident site on July 2, 3 and 5.

The SIT took the statements of 125 people, including administrative and police officials, the general public and eyewitnesses, were recorded. Apart from this, copies of news published in connection with the incident, on-site videography, photographs, and video clippings were taken into cognisance.

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. 

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.