Rahul Gandhi writes to CM Yogi on Hathras incident, seeks impartial probe

Lucknow: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has written a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding the Hathras stampede incident.

Rahul Gandhi has explained the problems of the victims' families through the letter. He has urged the Chief Minister to increase the compensation amount and provide it to the victims' families as soon as possible.

The Congress leader posted the letter, which is dated July 6, on social media platform X on Sunday.

Talking about his visit to Aligarh and Hathras on Friday where he interacted with the bereaved families, Rahul Gandhi wrote that no amount of compensation can be enough for the loss suffered by families.

He further said that an impartial probe would help identify the lapses by the district administration in the tragic incident which claimed the lives of 121 people.

“This will help in preventing the recurrence of such incidents in future and the guilty need to be punished,” he wrote.

He further wrote that the Congress workers and he was prepared to extend any help that may be required.

On Friday, Rahul met the families and inquired about the incident and the help they had received. He had assured them that he would take up their problems at the right forum and also help them in every possible way.

He later visited Hathras and met the injured and those who had lost their kin in the stampede.

He told reporters, “There have been some lapses on the part of the administration which led to a tragedy of this magnitude. When permission was for 80,000 people, then how did so many people reach there? Action should be taken against whoever is guilty.”

The stampede took place on Tuesday evening (July 2) at a Satsang of a self-styled godman, Suraj Pal who also goes by the names of Narayan Sakar Hari and 'Bhole Baba'.

An FIR was registered in the incident naming organizers of the event and the main accused -- the manager Dev Prakash Madhukar-- was arrested on Friday night. The police also arrested six persons, known as sewadars, who were supporters of the preachers and were managing the event.

Uttar Pradesh Police conducted a search operation at Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri. Later Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mainpuri Sunil Kumar said that 'Bhole Baba' was not found inside his ashram. Superintendent of Hathras City, Rahul Mithas also said that they did not find the preacher in the ashram.

On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site of the tragedy and ordered a judicial probe into the incident.

A three-member Judicial Inquiry Commission under the chairmanship of Justice (retd) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava has been constituted to ensure comprehensiveness of the subject matter and transparency in the inquiry. The team visited Hathras on Saturday.