GB Nagar DM meets kin of Hathras victims in Greater Noida, assures assistance

Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma on Friday met the families of two women who died in the stampede in Hathras on Tuesday at their residences in Greater Noida’s Dadri, and assured them of all necessary assistance.

Two women, Premvati (73) and Sumrita Devi (65), were among the group of 18 followers from Dadri of self-styled godman Surajpal Singh, popularly called Bhole Baba, who had gone to attend the satsang (religious congregation) in Hathras on July 2, district officials said.

As many as 121 people were killed and several others were injured in a stampede at a religious congregation in Hathras district on Tuesday. After the conclusion of the gathering, the uncontrollable crowd exiting the venue resulted in people seated on the ground being crushed, as per the FIR.

Organizers allegedly used sticks to try and restrain the crowd in water and mud-filled fields, exacerbating the situation and causing casualties among women, children, and men.

“We met the families of the Hathras victims residing in Gagan Vihar and Balaji Vihar areas of Dadri and assured them that the administration was doing everything possible to support the families of all victims. The families were informed that a thorough investigation was ongoing and necessary action was being taken to ensure that such a tragedy never occurs in the future,” said Verma.

“Financial assistance that has been promised by the Uttar Pradesh government for the families of deceased persons will be provided to them,” said the DM.

Premvati’s daughter Kamlesh, who was also a witness to the stampede, told district administration officials that she lost her mother in the crowd and she got swept away by the stampeding crowd. Kamlesh made it back to her home in Dadri the next day, she said.

Sumrita’s family informed the DM that they were told by a fellow visitor that Sumrita was trapped in the crowd, in the women’s section. She was found unconscious at the venue later, and declared dead.

Besides the deceased women, two other Dadri residents, identified as Anita (50) and Babita (30), who were also the part of the group from Dadri, are currently being treated at the Noida Sector 39 district hospital. While one was under severe mental distress, the other is stable, as per health department officials.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a compensation of ₹ 20 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹ 50,000 for those injured.

As of Friday, six people were arrested in connection with the stampede, according to IG, Shalabh Mathur, Aligarh Range. An investigation in currently underway.