Families Grieve and Protest as Bhole Baba Cleared of Responsibility in Deadly Hathras Stampede

Hathras - Grieving families have expressed disappointment following a judicial commission's decision to exonerate religious leader Bhole Baba of responsibility in last year's deadly stampede that claimed 121 lives.

"What do we do now?" This sentiment echoes among families who lost loved ones in the July 2, 2024 tragedy that occurred during a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh.

Mukesh Yadav, attorney for the event organizers, said that approximately 1,500 witnesses were interviewed during the investigation. "Around 1,500 witnesses were interrogated, and they confirmed Bhole Baba had no role in the stampede. It was expected that he would be cleared," Yadav stated, adding that he continues to seek bail for others still in custody.

The judicial commission's report, now submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's government and approved for presentation to the state legislature, primarily blames event organizers while also citing "serious lapses" by local administration and Uttar Pradesh Police. The report specifically mentions negligence in crowd management and inadequate security measures as contributing factors.

Victim family reactions have been mixed. Vinod Kumar, who lost his mother, expressed resignation: "The investigators are educated people; they must have done their job. But I've lost my mother -- what can we do now?"

Meanwhile, Kiran Devi, whose daughter-in-law died in the incident, voiced stronger disagreement: "This is wrong. Many from our village attended the Satsang. The Baba shouldn't have been given a clean chit."

The stampede occurred as the religious gathering in Ratibhanpur was concluding. According to earlier eyewitness accounts, overcrowding combined with insufficient exit routes created deadly conditions when attendees attempted to leave the venue amid humid weather. The commission has recommended mandatory police inspections of venues before similar events to prevent future tragedies.

Bhole Baba, whose legal name is Suraj Pal Singh, was absolved of direct responsibility in the stampede that primarily claimed women's lives and left dozens injured.