The Supreme Court is set to review a petition this Friday concerning the Hathras stampede that resulted in 121 deaths. Filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, the plea requests the formation of a five-member expert committee, overseen by a retired Supreme Court judge, to investigate the incident which occurred on July 2.
The petition also urges the Uttar Pradesh government to furnish a status report on the stampede and take legal action against responsible authorities and officials for alleged negligence. Scheduled for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, the case aims to bring accountability and prevent future tragedies.
The stampede took place during a religious gathering in Phulrai village, Hathras district, where over 2.5 lakh devotees had congregated for a ‘Satsang’ conducted by Baba Narayan Hari, also known as Saakar Vishwahari and Bhole Baba. Despite permissions for 80,000 attendees, the event saw a significantly larger turnout, leading to chaos and fatalities.
Legal Actions and Investigations
Following the incident, the Uttar Pradesh Police filed an FIR against the event organizers, accusing them of concealing evidence and disregarding attendance limits. The petition seeks directions from the Supreme Court to all states to issue guidelines for ensuring public safety during large gatherings, particularly religious or other events prone to overcrowding.
Responding to the Hathras stampede, calls for stringent preventive measures have emerged, emphasizing the need for comprehensive guidelines and strict enforcement to avoid such tragedies in the future.
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