Hathras Stampede: Toll Rises To 121, FIR Filed Against Organisers Of Religious Congregation

Hathras Stampede: The death toll in the stampede at a religious congregation in Hathras has resulted in the deaths of 121 people.

Hathras Stampede: In the latest updates pertaining to the stampede that occurred at a religious congregation in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, the death toll climbed to 121 with 28 others injured, as reported by news agency ANI on Wednesday, citing the Office of the Relief Commissioner.   

Meanwhile, on the same day, the Uttar Pradesh Police registered an FIR against the organisers of the religious congregation. 'Mukhya sevadar' Devprakash Madhukar and other organisers have been named in the first information report (FIR) filed at the Sikandara Rao police station late Tuesday, a senior officer told PTI.

The FIR has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence), the officer said. 

In the FIR that has been registered, the name of Narayan Saakar Hari, alias ‘Bhole Baba’, the preacher at whose religious congregation the tragedy struck, has not been mentioned, and he continues to remain at large.

FIR Says Organisers Hid Evidence, Flouted Conditions

The FIR accused the organisers of hiding evidence and flouting conditions, with 2.5 lakh people gathering for the event, of which only 80,000 were permitted, as reported by news agency ANI. However, the congregation or 'satsang' conductor Jagat Guru Saakar Vishwahari has not been named in the FIR though his name is in the complaint.

The FIR alleged that the organisers hid the actual number of devotees coming to the 'satsang' while seeking permission, did not cooperate in traffic management and hid evidence after the stampede, which broke out after people gathered there stopped to collect mud from the way the baba's vehicle was passing.

The FIR apparently gave a clean chit to the police and administration, saying they did whatever possible from the available resources. 'Mukhya sevadar' Devprakash Madhukar and other organisers have been named in the first information report (FIR) filed at the Sikandara Rao police station late Tuesday, a senior officer told PTI.