Hathras stampede: ‘Crowd more than permitted’, FIR lodged, organisers ‘untraceable’
People aware of the matter said permission was for about 25,000 followers but the crowd gathered was four times that number.
Though the satsang in Hathras was organised after permission for it was granted, the crowd was more than permitted and an FIR has been registered against the organisers, said inspector general of police (Aligarh range) Shalabh Mathur.
People aware of the matter said permission was for about 25,000 followers but the crowd gathered was four times that number.
“A two-member committee comprising ADG Agra Zone Anupam Kulshrestha and Aligarh divisional commissioner Chaitra V will conduct a probe and submit a report within 24 hours following which action will be taken against those found guilty,” Mathur added.
“Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered against the organiser for excess gathering,” Mathur said.
The organisers, including Bhole Baba, were not traceable when reports were last received.
Uttar Pradesh minister Laxmi Narain Chaudhary, who rushed to the spot with two of his ministerial colleagues, said the police were doing their task and will trace Bhole Baba.
“Our priority at present is to provide best treatment to the injured for which hospitals in four districts are on alert. We are also to ensure that bodies are handed over to family members after the post-mortem,” Chaudhary said.
“The committee constituted is asked by chief minister to submit report about the reasons and other factors within 24 hours. No one guilty will be spared,” assured the minister.
Preparations for the satsang had been going on for the last 15 days and Bhole Baba’s followers had gathered in large numbers since Monday, 24 hours before the event, locals said.
Vehicles in which they were transported were parked all along the National Highway in an area of three kilometers, indicating the hugeness of the gathering.
Local people alleged that precautionary measures were missing, including that of the required police force, in view of the huge gathering on Tuesday.
As in the past, the organisers had taken the arrangements in their hands. The volunteers, dressed in pink, were present but had no clue to crisis management once the stampede took place and the organisers fled from spot, the local people said.