Lucknow: The judicial commission has given a clean chit to preacher 'Bhole Baba', in the Hathras stampede case. The commission was 'investigating the Hathras stampede. It submitted its report to the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday. The report, presented in the Cabinet and approved for the Assembly, holds event organizers responsible while highlighting police and administrative lapses, reported IANS.
The report cited "mismanagement" and "lack" of proper arrangements as the primary causes of the stampede. Over 120 people lost their lives in the Hathras stampede that took place on July 2 last year.
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved presenting the report before the Vidhan Sabha.
About 121 people, including women and children, were killed after a stampede at a 'Satsang' organised by a self-styled godman, Bhole Baba, aka Suraj Pal, in Filauri village in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. At the time of the incident, around two lakh devotees were attending the event. Notably, permission was only granted to have around 80,000 attendees.
As per reports, the event drew in a crowd of over two lakh devotees. The Uttar Pradesh police prepared a 3200-page chargesheet against 11 people pertaining to the stampede incident in Hathras. The chargesheet, however, does not mention Suraj Pal, alias Bhole Baba, who held the 'Satsang' in Hathras, according to defence lawyer AP Singh.
On July 12, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a PIL seeking direction to appoint a five-member expert committee under the supervision of a retired top court judge to inquire into the Hathras stampede incident.
A bench of Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, observed that it is a disturbing incident, but it cannot entertain the petition as the High Court is robust to deal with this case. The top court asked the petitioner to approach the high court.
The plea had sought direction to the committee to suggest and frame guidelines and safety measures to avoid such incidents at large public gatherings, reported IANS.
The petition had further sought the court's direction to the State of Uttar Pradesh to submit a status report before the apex court in the Hathras stampede incident and initiate legal action against the persons, authorities and officials for their negligent conduct.
