Hathras Stampede: 6 Officials Including SDM Suspended After SIT Report

Hathras: Hours after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted a report on the Hathras stampede, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday suspended six officials including the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and a circle officer. The SIT report did not rule out a "big conspiracy" behind the incident, but flagged lapses on the part of the local administration that led to the incident that claimed 121 lives on July 2.

The report held the organisers responsible for the stampede, claiming they did not make arrangements to manage the crowd and also fixed the responsibility of administration, according to official sources. It said the local police and administration did not take the event seriously and failed to provide proper information to senior officers.

Have ordered listing of PIL: CJI Chandrachud

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that a date of hearing has been accorded to a PIL seeking probe into the Hathras stampede.  "I have ordered listing of the plea yesterday itself," Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said when PIL petitioner and advocate Vishal Tiwari mentioned his petition for urgent hearing.

The PIL sought appointment of a five-member expert committee under the supervision of a retired apex court judge to probe the stampede.

It also sought a direction to the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a status report on the July 2 incident and to initiate legal action against the authorities, officials and others for their negligent conduct.

The July 2 stampede at the 'satsang' of self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba claimed 121 lives. The SIT comprised Additional Director General of Police (Agra Zone) Anupam Kulshrestha and Aligarh Divisional Commissioner Chaitra V.

"The SIT has submitted its report to the government," Director of Information, Shishir said. He, however, did not reveal the contents of the report.

On July 5, Kulshrestha said that they have not ruled out the conspiracy angle in the stampede and added that the culpability of the incident was on the organisers of the event.

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.

Government agencies, including police, have so far blamed the organisers for the mismanagement at the event, noting that the size of the crowd exceeded to over 2.50 lakh from the permitted 80,000.

The lawyer of the 'godman', however, on July 6 claimed "some poisonous substance" sprayed by "some unidentified men" triggered the stampede.

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. The godman was not mentioned as accused in the FIR lodged at the local Sikandrarau police station on July 2.