Photo: X/ @myogiadityanath

New Delhi: The death toll in the Hathras stampede in Uttar Pradesh rose to 121 on Wednesday. As many as 31 injured were being treated at hospital and they were stated to be out of danger. Most of the devotees were from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. 

The incident took place at a spiritual gathering (satsang) led by Baba Bholenath alias Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari on Tuesday when his followers rushed to collect soil under his feet as he left the venue.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath met the injured and relatives of the deceased and announced, in a press meet, that a judicial probe headed by a retired High Court judge would be launched in the incident. The State government has already set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into the tragedy.

CM Adityanath said, “The State Government has decided to have a judicial inquiry also, which will be headed by a retired High Court judge. Retired senior officials of the Administration and the Police will also be a part of it.”  

He added, “We have formed an SIT, led by the Additional Director General (ADG), Agra. A preliminary report has been submitted. The SIT will investigate the matter deeply. Several angles of the incident need to be investigated.”

The Chief Minister said that his government would concentrate on the rescue operation.

He said, “Witnesses told me that several women suddenly started going towards the preacher after the satsang to touch him. The sevadars resisted their advance, due to which the accident happened. The administration was not allowed by the 'sevadars' to enter inside.”

The police were searching for Baba Narayan Hari. The state police lodged an FIR against the organisers. However, the preacher has not been mentioned in the list of accused, though it appeared in the complaint.

The FIR stated that the organisers hid the actual number of people gathering for the 'satsang' while seeking permission. They also did not help in traffic management and also concealed evidence after the tragedy.

The police and state administration seemingly got a clean chit in the FIR. It stated that they tried their best with the available resources. Names of Mukhya sevadar Devprakash Madhukar and other organisers have been mentioned in the FIR, which was filed at the Sikandar Rau police station late on Tuesday.