Hathras stampede case: Court hearing focuses on accountability, next date on Oct 9

Hathras (UP), Oct 3 (PTI) More than a year after 121 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives in a stampede during a religious congregation in Hathras, proceedings in the case continued in a district court on Friday with focus on accountability for the deaths, a lawyer said.

The court has fixed October 9 as the next date for cross-examination, the lawyer said.

The stampede occurred on July 2, 2024, during a satsang of self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari Baba, also known as Bhole Baba, near Mugalgadhi and Phulrai villages under Sikandrarao police station limits. Several people were also injured.

Police have named 11 people, including Bhole Baba's aide and the events main organiser Devprakash Madhukar in the charge sheet, holding them responsible for the mishap. All accused are currently out on bail. The 3,200-page charge sheet was submitted in court, and the trial and evidence recording process is underway.

On Friday, the statement of a police inspector, who was the in-charge of the local police station at the time of the incident, was completed. The statements of the then Circle Officer (CO) were also recorded via video conferencing, defence counsel Munna Singh Pundeer said.

The defence argued that the incident was an "accident" arising out of "administrative lapses".

"The organisers had taken permission as per rules. However, the district administration failed to make arrangements -” the GT Road route was not diverted, traffic was running, rains had made the ground slippery, and people fell. This was purely an accident for which the administration is fully responsible," he said.

He also pointed out that barring one, all accused were present in court.

"According to the inspector's statement, water fogging had been carried out at the venue to revive women who had fainted due to heat and humidity," Pundeer told reporters.

While the spiritual gathering was addressed by Surajpal, he is not an accused in the police FIR, which mentioned the event organisers as accused. PTI COR KIS ZMN