Varanasi stampede: Congregation organisers booked

An FIR has been registered against the organisers of religious congregation here in connection with the stampede in which 25 people were killed and over 100 people injured while crossing the Rajghat bridge to participate in the event.
Five persons associated with the Jai Gurudev sect were booked for allegedly furnishing false information while seeking permission for taking out procession and holding a two-day camp, police said today.
The case has been registered under IPC sections 177 (furnishing false information), 420 (cheating) and (culpable homicide by causing death of person other than person whose death was intended), a release issued by SSP office said.

The organisers had sought permission for nearly 3,000 people for the procession whereas allegedly nearly five lakh people were brought by them at the camp in Domri village under Ramnagar police station area here, it said.
"Keeping police in dark, the organisers in a pre-planned manner held their 'Shakti Pradarshan' in the village, which was a violation of rules," police alleged.
Huge number of the sect followersjoined the procession which passed from Peeli Kothi and Rajghat bridge to reach Domri village, that borders Chandauli and Varanasi district, sources said.

In the village, a large number of tents were erected and lakhs of followers of Jai Gurudev had gathered, whereas the permission was sought for fewer followers.

However, a leader fromthe Jai Gurudev sect said they had sought permission for organising the eventbut they themselves had not expected that a huge number of followers would join the procession and reach the camp.
The district administration and police should have dealt with the situation with proper care, when huge followers started reaching the camp on the banks of Ganga in the village, he said.
25 people were killed and several injured while crossing the overcrowded Rajghat bridge on Saturday to participate in the religious event.