Hathras stampede: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, where 123 people have been killed in a stampede during a religious congregation two days ago, senior party leader K C Venugopal said on Thursday. Terming the tragedy an 'unfortunate incident', Venugopal, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) said Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will interact with the affected people during his visit.
The Uttar Pradesh government has announced a judicial probe into the Hathras tragedy. Police have lodged an FIR against the organizers of the congregation, accusing them of hiding evidence and flouting conditions, with 2.5 lakh people gathering for the event, exceeding the permitted capacity of 80,000.
Police entered the ashram premises of religious preacher Jagat Guru Saakar Vishwahari Bhole Baba here and later said he was not present there. A police official said they had gone there to check security arrangements. Police personnel have been deployed outside the ashram since the stampede at the preacher's congregation in Harthras
The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday formed a three-member judicial commission headed by a retired high court judge to probe the Hathras tragedy, also looking into the possibility that a "conspiracy" was behind the stampede. The panel will submit its report in two months.
