Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, following a tragic stampede that claimed 121 lives and injured 35 people at a religious gathering. The party’s general secretary, KC Venugopal, confirmed the visit, stating that the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will interact with the affected residents. The incident occurred on Tuesday as devotees rushed to receive blessings from ‘Bhole Baba’, a preacher who was leaving the venue after a prayer session. The preacher, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari and Jagat Guru Vishwahari, is currently untraceable. A preliminary report by the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of the Sikandra Rao division suggests that the stampede occurred due to the crowd’s sudden movement towards ‘Bhole Baba’.
An FIR has been filed against Devprakash Madhukar, identified as the ‘Mukhya Sewadar’, and other organizers of the ‘Satsang’, while ‘Bhole Baba’ has not been named. Uttar Pradesh police have launched a search operation at the Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri district, where the preacher is believed to be hiding. The FIR cites violations under Sections 105, 110, 126(2), 223, and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, highlighting negligence and mismanagement. Following the incident, ‘Bhole Baba’ attributed the chaos to ‘anti-social elements’ who disrupted the event after he left. He expressed deep condolences to the families of the deceased and wished for a swift recovery of the injured. Witnesses and the FIR suggest that organizers used sticks to control the crowd in water and mud-filled fields, worsening the situation and leading to casualties among men, women, and children. Despite efforts from police and administrative officials to transport the injured to hospitals, the organizers reportedly refused to cooperate.
