Hathras stampede: SDM report cites shoving by security, 'slippery slope'

The situation worsened when people waiting on the divider of the road ahead began running towards the Baba's vehicle, says the report

Chaos caused after Narayan Sakaar Hari's followers, who tried to reach near his vehicle to seek "darshan", were pushed by the godman's security and a "slippery slope" resulted in the stampede that killed 121 people in Hathras, a preliminary report of the SDM said.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sikandra Rao submitted the preliminary report on the stampede to the district magistrate (DM).

The SDM, who gave permission for the 'satsang' (religious congregation), was also present at the venue when the incident occurred, according to the report.

"A crowd of more than 200,000 people were present in the satsang pandal. Shri Narayan Sakar Hari (Bhole Baba) reached the satsang pandal at about 12.30 pm and the program went on for 1 hour.

"After this, at about 1.40 pm, Shri Narayan Sakaar Hari (Bhole Baba) came out of the pandal to go towards Etah on National Highway-91," the preliminary report said, adding that when the godman was leaving the venue, his followers started running towards him for a 'darshan' and collect soil from around his feet.

"Satsangi women/men/children etc. started applying the dust of Baba's feet on their foreheads (while trying) to get his darshan, touch his feet and take his blessings," reads the report dated July 2.

The situation worsened when more people waiting on the divider of the road ahead began running towards his vehicle, it said.

"A large number of people were already standing on the dividers in the middle and on the sides of GT road, who started jumping from the dividers and started running towards Baba's vehicle to get his darshan.

"Then Baba's personal security personnel (Black Commandos) and sevadars started pushing and shoving the crowd themselves to stop the crowd, due to which some people fell down," the report states, adding this led to a panic and the crowd went out of control.

"Due to which the crowd ran towards the open field in front of the venue to get relief, on the other side of the road, where most of the people slipped and fell due to the wet slope while descending from the road towards the field," the report said.

Those who fell could not get up again and were run over by those coming from behind, it said.

"After this, they could not get up again and the crowd started running here and there over them," the report mentioned.

'Mukhya sevadar' Devprakash Madhukar and other organisers have been named in the first information report (FIR) filed at the Sikandar Rau police station late on Tuesday, a senior officer told PTI.

Chest injuries, asphyxia among causes of death, autopsies show
 

Blood accumulation in the thoracic cavity due to chest injuries, asphyxia and rib injuries were the causes of death of the Hathras stampede victims whose bodies were brought to a hospital in Agra for post-mortem, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Twenty-one bodies were brought to the S N Medical College and Hospital here after the stampede at a religious congregation in Pulrai village claimed 121 lives.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Arun Srivastava said according to post-mortem reports, people died due to blood accumulation in the thoracic cavity, asphyxia and rib injuries.

He said 21 bodies of people from Mathura, Agra, Pilibhit, Kasganj and Aligarh, etc., were brought to the S N Medical College and Hospital and a team of doctors conducted autopsies.

Family members of the victims started gathering at the post-mortem house on Tuesday night as the bodies began arriving there. The bodies were handed over to the victims' family after post-mortem examination.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday announced a judicial probe into the Hathras tragedy.

Police have lodged an FIR against the organisers of the congregation, accusing them of hiding evidence and flouting conditions with 2.5 lakh people gathering for the event in which only 80,000 were permitted.

UP govt to compensate victims from Rajasthan, MP and Haryana also

The pilgrims from not only Uttar Pradesh but also three other states lost their lives in the deadly stampede at Hathras, the Uttar Pradesh government said on Wednesday as it announced compensation to the families of all deceased.

The victims included pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, according to a statement released in Lucknow.

Additionally, the pilgrims from 17 districts of Uttar Pradesh were also among the deceased.

The district administration's list of the deceased includes six victims from other states -- one from Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), one from Palwal (Haryana), three from Faridabad (Haryana) and one from Deeg (Rajasthan).

Among the victims from Uttar Pradesh, 22 were from Hathras, 17 from Agra, 15 from Aligarh, 10 from Etah, eight each from Kasganj and Mathura, six from Badaun, five each from Shahjahanpur and Bulandshahr, two each from Auraiya and Sambhal, and one each from Lalitpur, Firozabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Unnao, it stated.

Among the 121 deceased, 113 were women, six were children (five boys and one girl), and two were men, according to the statement.

A control room and helpline numbers (05722-227041, 42, 43, 45) have been set up by the administration.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced a judicial probe into the Hathras tragedy while not ruling out the possibility of a "conspiracy" behind the stampede that killed 121 people.

Adityanath earlier announced that the families of the deceased would receive Rs 2 lakh each and the injured would receive Rs 50,000 each in compensation.

Meanwhile, the officials in Faridabad said that the bodies of the four women from Haryana, who lost their lives in the tragic stampede in Hathras, were handed over to their family members after post-mortem.

The tragic event took place during a programme dedicated to self-styled godman Baba Narayan Hari also called Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba in Fulrai village of Hathras district on Tuesday.