'People started jumping and running...': Hathras SDM recounts scenes moments before stampede

Hathras Tragedy

As disturbing visuals and information around the tragic incident of stampede at a mass religious congregation involving self-styled godman-- Narayan Saakar aka ‘Hari Bhole Baba’, in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras trickled  in, a letter by Hathras Sub divisional magistrate Sikandra Rao to District Magistrate recounted the chain of events that ultimately led to the stampede, thereby claiming 121 lives and endangering many more.

The Uttar Pradesh Police on July 3 filed an FIR against the organisers, accusing them of hiding evidence and flouting conditions with 2.5 lakh people crammed into a venue in which only 80,000 were permitted.

This is how the SDM recounted the chain of events:

The event by self-styled godman Narayan Sakar Hari, also called “Bhole Baba”, was held near the village situated on the National Highway-91, Sirau to Etah road.

Explaining the timeline, the letter said, “A crowd of more than 2 lakhs was present in the Satsang platform. Shri Narayan Sakar Hari (Bhole Baba) reached the Satsang Pandal at around 12.30 pm and the programme continued for 1 hour.”

On the events leading to the tragedy, the SDM letter explained, “After this, at around 01.40 PM, Shri Narayan Sakar Hari (Bhole Baba) came out of the Pandal to go towards Etah on National Highway-91.

Towards the path through which Bhole Baba was coming out, Satsangi women/men/children etc started taking his feet's rug and applying it on their forehead as a mark of darshan and touching his feet and blessings.”

A large number of people, already standing for darshan on the divider built on the side and middle of the GT Road, tried to reach the godman. "When people started jumping and running towards Baba's vehicle to have darshan, his security personnel (Black Commando) and servants started pushing and shoving with the crowd who could not reach the Baba. Due to this, some people fell down. But the crowd did not agree, and an atmosphere of chaos was created, the letter elaborated.

The SDM claimed that the revenue and police security personnel, sent the victims to the hospitals and community health centers nearby through ambulance and other means that were available on the spot.