Congress leader Rahul Gandhi meets families of Hathras stampede victims
Days after 121 people were killed in a stampede at a satsang in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, the Uttar Pradesh Police Department detained six members of preacher Bhole Baba’s organizing committee on Thursday. All six people arrested were ‘sevadars’ (volunteers) at the satsang.
Since the stampede at the preacher’s congregation in Harthras, police have been posted outside the ashram. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi paid a visit to Hathras on Friday and met with the families of the stampede victims. He also went to Aligarh to meet some of the affected families.
After meeting the families of the stampede victims, Rahul Gandhi said, “I don’t want to say this from a political prism, but there have been deficiencies on the part of the administration and the important thing is that maximum compensation should be given as they are poor families. I request Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide compensation open-heartedly.”
Also read: Hathras Stampede: Six people arrested; 1 lakh reward announced for info on prime accused
Six organizers arrested by UP Police
Six members of the organising committee for preacher Bhole Baba’s satsang were arrested on Thursday by Uttar Pradesh police. Two women were among those arrested. The single accused listed in the FIR is still at large, but Surajpal, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari and Bhole Baba, would be questioned as needed during the investigation, according to a senior official.
Shalabh Mathur, Inspector General of Police (Aligarh Range), told reporters that all six of those arrested were’sevadars’ (volunteers) at the satsang. A reward of Rs 1 lakh will be announced shortly, and a non-bailable warrant (NBW) will be issued against key culprit Devprakash Madhukar, he said. The police described the arrested individuals as Ram Ladaite (50), Upendra Singh Yadav (62), Megh Singh (61), Mukesh Kumar (38), and ladies Manju Yadav (30) and Manju Devi (40).
On Wednesday night, police entered the ashram of religious preacher Jagat Guru Saakar Vishwahari Bhole Baba in Mainpuri and said he was not there. A police official stated that they had gone there to inspect security plans. The Uttar Pradesh government appointed a three-member judicial commission, led by a former high court judge, to investigate the Hathras disaster and the potential of a “conspiracy” behind the stampede.
