In a heart-wrenching event at a spiritual gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, 121 lives were tragically lost on Tuesday. President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, expressed his sympathies on Wednesday, demonstrating international solidarity. Japan's Prime Minister also conveyed his condolences regarding the Hathras incident. Acting President of Iran, Mohammad Mokhber, extended his thoughts to PM Modi in a heartfelt message.
The Russian embassy in India took to social media platform X saying, 'President Vladimir Putin has sent a message of condolence to India’s President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the stampede incident in Uttar Pradesh.'
Main Organiser Named Suspect
The stampede at a guru's assembly in Hathras on Tuesday, which claimed 121 lives, has raised critical questions on event organization and administrative control. 24 hours later, suspects remain elusive, including the spiritual leader, Narayan Sakar Hari, commonly known as Bhole Baba.
No information is available about Baba's whereabouts. The chief servant and event organizer Dev Prakash Madhukar has not yet been apprehended by the police, who have named him as the primary suspect in their FIR.
An Assembly of A Quarter Million
The incident took place in the Sikandrarau area's Fulrai village, where the Manav Mangal Milan Sadbhavana Committee had organized the spiritual gathering in a 150 Bigha open field. According to the police FIR, permission was granted for the participation of 80,000 people; however, the turnout was thrice the permitted number, reaching around 250,000. The arrangements were overseen by Baba's servants and the organizing committee.
Only 40 policemen were present on-site. The deceased were attendees of the 'satsang' conducted by the spiritual orator Bhole Baba. Currently, the bodies lie on ice slabs inside a government hospital, with grieving relatives seen weeping profusely.
