Indian authorities suspend six officials over stampede that killed 121
Local government in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday suspended six officials for a stampede that killed 121 people last week, officials said.
The officials, police personnel and district officials were suspended after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed its report flagging lapses on the part of the local administration in handling the event of a Hindu preacher.
The officials were accused of “negligence” on their part.
The report held the organisers and local officials, including the police, were negligent and failed to make adequate arrangements at the venue in Hathras district.
It said they did not take the event seriously.
Local media reports said the SIT report was submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The SIT also flagged overcrowding as a cause of the stampede.
The report is based on statements from 125 people, including witnesses, survivors, police and district officials. News reports, photographs and video footage were also examined.
So far, nine people, including the main organiser, Devprakash Madhukar, have been arrested in connection with the stampede.
The findings of the panel investigating the incident mentioned that the organisers had told the police that they expected 80,000 people at the event, but about a quarter of a million turned up.
The policemen believe the organisers deliberately underplayed the number, possibly to face fewer restrictions in hosting the event and avoid additional crowd safety measures.
A.P. Singh, a lawyer representing the preacher, denied wrongdoing by the organisers and told the media that the stampede was part of a conspiracy by some people who opened cans of a poisonous substance in the crowd.
However, he has not identified anyone.
Reports said the panel has not ruled out “the possibility of a major conspiracy behind the accident” but said it needed further investigation.
Initial reports said the stampede was triggered at the event when people ran after the preacher’s departing car, pushing one another to seek his blessings and get a closer glimpse of him.
(Xinhua/NAN)
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