Hathras Tragedy: Stampede at Religious Gathering Claims 121 Lives, Prompts Judicial Inquiry

Social Issues Social Inequalities and exclusion

Posted by pallavi on 2024-07-04 08:51:06 |

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A tragic stampede at a religious congregation in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, resulted in the deaths of 121 people and injuries to 31 others. The incident took place during a crowded gathering led by a preacher known as Bhole Baba (Suraj Pal). As the event concluded, devotees rushed towards the preacher, seeking blessings, which led to chaos and the subsequent stampede. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, has called for a judicial inquiry and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident from multiple angles.

The stampede occurred due to the sudden movement of the crowd towards the preacher as he was descending from the stage. The sevadars (volunteers) attempted to manage the crowd, but their actions inadvertently caused a rush, leading to people falling and getting trampled. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and people being crushed underfoot as the crowd surged forward. Some individuals, in their desperation to escape, ran into an adjoining muddy field, where many fell and were further trampled.

In response to the disaster, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site, directed immediate relief efforts, and ensured the injured were hospitalized promptly. Senior officials, including the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, have been actively involved in the rescue and investigation operations. The state government has also decided to involve a retired High Court judge in the judicial inquiry, alongside retired senior officials from the administration and police, to ensure a thorough investigation.

Security measures have been intensified around the ashram of Bhole Baba, where the event took place, with a significant police presence to manage the aftermath and control access to the site. The local administration has faced criticism for not being able to prevent the tragedy, with some reports suggesting that the volunteers did not allow the administration to intervene in the initial stages.

The incident has prompted a broader discussion on the safety measures at large religious gatherings in India, which often see massive crowds in confined spaces with inadequate crowd management protocols. The state administration has pledged to take further action to fix accountability and prevent such incidents in the future.

Additionally, the railway authorities have made special arrangements to accommodate the large number of people needing to return home after the event, with several trains making extra stops and speed restrictions imposed to ensure safety.

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