Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, visited Hathras today to meet the families of victims who lost their lives in the tragic stampede that claimed 121 lives. This marks the first visit by a senior opposition leader to the site since the incident occurred.
The stampede occurred during a satsang conducted by religious preacher Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as 'Bhole Baba', on Tuesday evening. According to initial reports, chaos ensued when devotees rushed to seek blessings and collect soil from around the preacher's feet but were stopped by security personnel. This resulted in pushing and shoving, causing several people to fall and leading to the tragic incident.
In response, Uttar Pradesh Police conducted a search operation at Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri on Thursday to locate 'Bhole Baba'. An FIR has been filed against the organizers of the prayer meeting, while the preacher himself has not been named yet.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site on Wednesday and ordered a judicial probe, appointing a three-member Judicial Inquiry Commission chaired by retired Justice Brijesh Kumar Srivastava. The commission has been tasked to conduct a thorough investigation into the Hathras stampede over the next two months and submit a detailed report to the state government.