The Uttar Pradesh Police addressed the media on Wednesday regarding the Hathras stampede incident, confirming that six individuals have been arrested so far. Aligarh IG Shalabh Mathur reported, "The death toll stands at 121. All bodies have been identified, and the post mortem procedures are complete.
"The death toll stands at 121. All bodies have been identified and the post-mortem procedure completed," Mathur said. "When the stampede occurred, the six 'Sevadars' who are now arrested had run away from the site. Rs 1 lakh reward is being announced on the arrest of the main accused, Prakash Madhukar. Soon, a non-bailable warrant will be issued against him. We will also investigate if this incident occurred due to a conspiracy," he added.
"Rahbari Singh Yadav, Bhupendar Singh Yadav, Megh Singh, Manju Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, and Manju Devi have been arrested. They are all members of the organising committee and worked as 'Sevadars'. As soon as the information of the incident was received, all the officers of Hathras district not only reached on time but also assisted the injured. Given the programme of these people, organizing things completely, arranging parking, prasad for the people, etc. are the major responsibilities," he added.
Authorities confirm identification and handover of all 121 victims
The bodies of all 121 victims from the tragic Hathras stampede have been identified and handed over to their respective families, District Magistrate Ashish Kumar announced on Thursday. The stampede, which occurred during preacher Baba Bhole's satsang, also resulted in 31 injuries.
Distribution and identification
Post-stampede, the bodies were distributed across various locations: 21 in Agra, 28 in Etah, 34 in Hathras, and 38 in Aligarh. Kumar confirmed that the final unidentified body was recognized via video call on Thursday morning.
Relief measures and investigation
The Uttar Pradesh government has announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Additionally, a three-member judicial commission, led by a retired high court judge, has been established to investigate the incident and explore potential conspiracies behind the stampede. The commission's report is expected within two months.
Legal action
An FIR has been lodged against the satsang organizers at the Sikandra Rau police station, accusing them of exceeding the permitted crowd size. The preacher, Jagat Guru Saakar Vishwahari Bhole Baba, was not named in the FIR. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that the investigation would include all responsible parties.
The incident has sparked a comprehensive review of crowd management and safety protocols at large public gatherings.
Also read | Hathras stampede: CCTV footage surfaces where Bhole Baba is seen running away from accident site | WATCH
