In Pics | Rahul Gandhi meets family members of stampede victims in Hathras, Aligarh: ‘they are in shock, just want to…’

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on July 5 visited the families of those who lost their lives in the Hathras stampede in Uttar Pradesh, which claimed the lives of 121 people and left 31 injured.

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Prior to his visit in Hathras, Gandhi stopped in Aligarh to meet with relatives of victims from that district. He was seen interacting with the family members of the victims of the Hathras stampede.

Most of the dead in the terrible stampede during self-styled godman Bhole Baba's satsang in Hathras were women and children. A father who lost his six-year-old son in the stampede shared his grief and said, “Rahul Gandhi assured us of all possible help. I took my son and wife to the satsang, and after it ended, people rushed to the Baba, causing the stampede. My son and wife were victims of the stampede. My son was later found dead in the field. He was only six years old.”

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One member of a bereaved family spoke on Rahul Gandhi's visit and said, “He asked us how it all happened. I told him while walking, Baba asked the devotees, 'Mere charno ki dhool lo'. After that, people ran to touch his feet. They collided with each other and fell one upon the other. When my mother didn't come home, we went to search for her. There were bodies covered in mud.”

After meeting the stampede victims, Gandhi remarked that he did not want to see the situation through a political lens. However, he added that there "have been shortcomings of the administration and there have been some mistakes" and emphasised that “maximum compensation” should be given to the affected poor families.

Also Read: Hathras stampede ’created by anti-social elements’: Bhole Baba says ’satsang’ tragedy occurred after he left

While speaking to news agency ANI, the Congress leader said, "It is a sad incident. Several people have died. I don't want to say this from a political prism, but there have been deficiencies on the part of the administration, and the important thing is that maximum compensation should be given as they are poor families. I request UP CM Yogi Adityanath to provide compensation open-heartedly. If there is a delay in the compensation, it will not benefit anyone. I had a personal conversation with the family members of the deceased, and they told me that there was no police arrangement. They are in shock, and I just wanted to understand their situation."

Meanwhile, three days after the Hathras stampede tragedy, the Uttar Pradesh police on July 4 arrested six members, including two women ‘sevadars’, from the organising committee of Bhole Baba's ‘satsang’. The police identified those arrested as Ram Ladaite (50), Upendra Singh Yadav (62), Megh Singh (61), Mukesh Kumar (38), Manju Yadav (30) and Manju Devi (40).

(With inputs from agencies)