Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday constituted a three-member Judicial Inquiry Commission to investigate the unfortunate Hathras stampede that left 121 dead and submit the report in two-months. The commission was formed on the recommendation of state Governor Anandiben Patel. Earlier in the day, CM Yogi held a press conference and informed that a judicial commission would be formed.
The Commission formed a day after the stampede, will be headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar Srivastav, the retired judge of Allahabad High Court. Other members of the commission include retired IAS officer Hemant Rao and retired IPS officer Bhavesh Kumar, according to the information by the state government. The commission has been tasked to conclude the investigation in two months.
The judicial commission is tasked to investigate following points:
- Whether the organisers accepted the conditions of the permission received from the district administration, complied with it or not
- Was the stampede an accident or a conspiracy?
- What arrangements were made by the district administration and police for the Satsang.
- What caused the stampede?
- Suggestions for the prevention of such an event in the future.
Notably, the deadly stampede in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on Tuesday, which claimed 121 fatalities, occurred at a religious congregation led by Baba Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as 'Bhole Baba.' Once a government official, Baba Narayan Hari turned into a religious preacher two decades ago and amassed a large following in the state. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a press conference and claimed that the preliminary report suggested that 'sevaders' (guards) were at fault who pushed the women coming towards Baba to touch him. He also said that 'sevadaars' fled the scene after stampede, when they could have helped people during the crisis.
Meanwhile, several petitions were also filed in the court related to the stampede, with one in Allahabad High Court, demanding the CBI probe into the matter. However, the government argued against it, giving clean chit to the local police on investigation.
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