The judicial commission investigating the tragic stampede at a religious gathering in Hathras has given a clean chit to Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Sakar, according to the sources. The commission submitted its report to the Uttar Pradesh government, which discussed it in a cabinet meeting ahead of the state budget presentation.
While the report confirms that the police investigation was conducted properly, it remains inconclusive on whether any conspiracy was involved. The government has approved a proposal to table the report in the legislature, but it has not yet publicly disclosed its key findings.
The incident occurred on July 2 in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, during a religious congregation attended by tens of thousands of devotees.
According to eyewitnesses, as Bhole Baba concluded his sermon and began leaving, a sudden rush ensued.
Many followers tried to move closer to him, hoping for his blessings. In the overcrowded space, people began pushing and shoving, leading to panic.
Authorities reported that the venue lacked adequate emergency exits, and many attendees were unable to escape in time. While some blame poor crowd management, others argue that the organisers did not anticipate the sheer number of devotees who would attend the event.
The judicial inquiry commission, set up to investigate the tragedy, has made several key recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future. The report suggests enforcing strict crowd management protocols, including a cap on the number of attendees at religious events and mandatory security drills before such gatherings.
It recommends that all large public events be required to have designated emergency exits, medical teams, and police presence.
It also proposes stricter licensing rules for religious congregations and large public gatherings to ensure better accountability of event organisers.
Grieving families of the victims have expressed frustration over the report's findings, saying justice remains elusive. Anita Devi, whose 65-year-old mother was among the deceased, said her mother was a devout follower of Bhole Baba and never missed his satsangs.
