Editor's Pick | Over 100 dead in U.P. stampede tragedy; toll could rise

At least 116 people died and over 200 were injured in a stampede at a religious event in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh on July 2. The incident occurred during a ‘satsang’ (prayer meeting) organised by self-styled godman Narayan Sakar Hari in Fulrai village under the Sikandrarau police station area of Hathras district, which was reportedly attended by over one lakh people, mostly women. Inspector General of Police for the Aligarh Range, Shalabh Mathur, said 116 bodies were identified so far, of which 27 were sent to the Etah mortuary and the rest were in Hathras. “Bodies were sent to nerarby places for post-mortem as we intend to hand over the bodies to their families as soon as possible,” Mr. Mathur said. He said a First Information Report was being registered against the organisers of the event under relevant Sections. Heart-wrenching visuals were shared by eyewitnesses from the spot in which bodies were lying outside the post-mortem house while kin of the deceased were crying for help. Eyewitnesses claimed that no ambulance was available at the spot and the police failed to control the crowd that went out of control when devotees rushed to greet the godman, at the end of the ‘satsang’. According to Sikandrarau sub-divisional magistrate Ravendra Kumar, the devotees also wanted to collect some soil from around the baba’s feet. “How can they allow such a big event to happen when there was no preparedness for any untoward incident,” asked Sumit Kumar, an eyewitness, who said the death toll could cross 150. At a community health care centre in Hathras, people started protesting when no doctor was available to attend the injured persons. Videos of people taking bodies and the injured in tempos also went viral on social media. Ashish Kumar, District Magistrate, Hathras, said permission for the event was given by the sub-divisional magistrate and that the rest of the arrangements were supposed to be done by the organisers. He said that in the initial investigation, it was found that more than double the number of attendees reached the event than those permitted. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath formed a committee to investigate the cause. Mr. Adityanath said instructions had been given to officials to take up relief and rescue operations on a war footing and to provide proper treatment to the injured. The State Government announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh to those who died and ₹50,000 to the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge offered their condolences to the bereaved families. Suraj Pal or ‘Bhole Baba’, the constable-turned-spiritual preacher has a considerable following in western and central U.P., and prominent political leaders have also been seen in his programmes. Local sources said Mr. Pal had been a constable with the Uttar Pradesh Police until the 1990s in the local intelligence unit when he turned to spirituality, adopted a new name, and started giving public sermons about leading a pious life. He described himself as a disciple of Narayan Sakar Hari and asked his followers to find the Almighty within. Local media sources said mismanagement was common in the congregations. “It was written about but the administration showed a soft corner towards [Pal’s] ashram. Even during the COVID lockdown, his followers were allowed to worship at the ashram,” said a local journalist. At Patiyali, which has voted for the Samajwadi Party candidate in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls, meanings are already being drawn about the political affiliation of Mr. Pal. While Bharatiya Janata Party supporters used social media to point out that SP president Akhilesh Yadav had shared the stage with Mr. Pal in 2023, SP sources accused BJP affiliates of using Mr. Pal to mislead Dalits by keeping them away from the Ambedkarite movement. The Hindu’s Editorial Mixed signals: On data and the key industrial sectors ​Open court: On Wimbledon 2024 The Hindu’s Daily Quiz French far right leader Marine Le Pen, a presidential hopeful, is part of which political party? National Rally En Commun Rennaissance The Republicans To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 03 July 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 03 July 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Over 100 dead in U.P. stampede tragedy; toll could rise At least [116 people died and over 200 were injured in a stampede]( at a religious event in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh on July 2. The incident occurred during a ‘satsang’ (prayer meeting) organised by [self-styled godman Narayan Sakar Hari]( in Fulrai village under the Sikandrarau police station area of Hathras district, which was reportedly attended by over one lakh people, mostly women. Inspector General of Police for the Aligarh Range, Shalabh Mathur, said 116 bodies were identified so far, of which 27 were sent to the Etah mortuary and the rest were in Hathras. “Bodies were sent to nerarby places for post-mortem as we intend to hand over the bodies to their families as soon as possible,” Mr. Mathur said. He said a First Information Report was being registered against the organisers of the event under relevant Sections. Heart-wrenching visuals were shared by eyewitnesses from the spot in which bodies were lying outside the post-mortem house while [kin of the deceased were crying for help](. Eyewitnesses claimed that no ambulance was available at the spot and the police failed to control the crowd that went out of control when devotees rushed to greet the godman, at the end of the ‘satsang’. According to Sikandrarau sub-divisional magistrate Ravendra Kumar, the devotees also wanted to collect some soil from around the baba’s feet. “How can they allow such a big event to happen when there was no preparedness for any untoward incident,” asked Sumit Kumar, an eyewitness, who said the death toll could cross 150. At a community health care centre in Hathras, people started protesting when no doctor was available to attend the injured persons. Videos of people taking bodies and the injured in tempos also went viral on social media. Ashish Kumar, District Magistrate, Hathras, said permission for the event was given by the sub-divisional magistrate and that the rest of the arrangements were supposed to be done by the organisers. He said that in the initial investigation, it was found that more than double the number of attendees reached the event than those permitted. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath formed a committee to investigate the cause. Mr. Adityanath said instructions had been given to officials to take up relief and rescue operations on a war footing and to provide proper treatment to the injured. The State Government announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh to those who died and ₹50,000 to the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge offered their condolences to the bereaved families. Suraj Pal or ‘Bhole Baba’, the constable-turned-spiritual preacher has a considerable following in western and central U.P., and prominent political leaders have also been seen in his programmes. Local sources said Mr. Pal had been a constable with the Uttar Pradesh Police until the 1990s in the local intelligence unit when he turned to spirituality, adopted a new name, and started giving public sermons about leading a pious life. He described himself as a disciple of Narayan Sakar Hari and asked his followers to find the Almighty within. Local media sources said mismanagement was common in the congregations. “It was written about but the administration showed a soft corner towards [Pal’s] ashram. Even during the COVID lockdown, his followers were allowed to worship at the ashram,” said a local journalist. At Patiyali, which has voted for the Samajwadi Party candidate in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls, meanings are already being drawn about the political affiliation of Mr. Pal. While Bharatiya Janata Party supporters used social media to point out that SP president Akhilesh Yadav had shared the stage with Mr. Pal in 2023, SP sources accused BJP affiliates of using Mr. Pal to mislead Dalits by keeping them away from the Ambedkarite movement. 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