The Allahabad High Court has issued a summons to the former district magistrate (DM) and senior superintendent of police (SP) of Hathras, requiring them to appear in court on January 15 to address their potential liability in a deadly stampede that occurred in 2024, resulting in 121 fatalities.
Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, presiding over the case, emphasized the role of administrative oversight in preventing such tragedies. “The organisers call innocent people for their benefit and due to lack of proper arrangements, such incidents happen. It is the responsibility of the administration to see whether there is proper arrangement of police force, medical, etc., or not,” he stated during a bail hearing for one of the individuals implicated in the incident.
The tragic event unfolded on July 2, 2024, during a “satsang” attended by approximately 250,000 people—far exceeding the anticipated 80,000—organized by followers of Surajpal alias Bhole Baba in Fulrai Mughalgarhi Village, Hathras district. The significant discrepancy between expected and actual attendance contributed to the chaos, highlighting failures in planning and crowd control.
The court’s decision to question the district’s former authorities comes as part of an ongoing investigation into the catastrophe. The focus is not only on the immediate causes but also on the administrative actions taken before and after the event. With the upcoming Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, which typically draws millions, the court underscored the importance of learning from past mistakes to ensure better safety and organization.
