Hathras stampede: Surajpal records statement before judicial panel in Lucknow

Lucknow: Self-styled godman Surajpal alias "Bhole Baba" appeared before a judicial commission here on Thursday in connection with the July 2 stampede at his congregation in Hathras that had claimed 121 lives.

The panel recorded Surajpal's statement over the incident, his lawyer A P Singh told PTI, adding that the questioning continued for two hours and a half. He also said the judicial panel has been given a three-month time extension to complete its probe into the stampede.

Surajpal, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari, is not mentioned as an accused in the FIR that was lodged after the stampede at Fulrai village in the Sikandra Rao area of Hathras district.

The Uttar Pradesh government formed the three-member judicial commission, headed by a retired high court judge, on July 3 to probe the Hathras stampede and look into the possibility of a conspiracy behind the tragedy. This was separate from a police investigation launched in the matter.

"The judicial commission's office is here (Lucknow) and today, Narayan Sakar Hari (Surajpal) was called for (recording) his statement here. We reached the commission's office around 10:30 am and left at 1 pm," Singh told PTI.

He said Surajpal's name is not mentioned as an accused in the FIR or in the police chargesheet. He also claimed that the panel has told them after comprehensive questioning over the matter that Surajpal would not be called again.

Singh, who is also the counsel of other accused in the case, further said the judicial panel, which was initially given three months to probe the case, has been given a time extension of three more months.

"There are 1,100 affidavits that have been submitted in the case and it would require some time to examine them all. Hence, the time extension was allowed," the Supreme Court lawyer told PTI.

The probe panel is chaired by Justice (retired) Brijesh Kumar Shrivastav, with former IAS officer Hemant Rao and former IPS officer Bhavesh Kumar as its members.

"The commission will speak to anyone required for the Hathras stampede probe," Kumar told reporters in Hathras on July 7, when asked if the panel will also quiz the "godman".

Singh said the Uttar Pradesh government has provided a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the victims and the Samajwadi Party, the main opposition party in the state, has also extended a support of Rs 1 lakh to each of the victims' families.

"We have full faith in the Uttar Pradesh Police, the judiciary, the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre. Justice will be done with us," Singh said, adding, "We had promised that whenever any probe panel or investigation agency would call Narayan Sakar Hari, he would turn up." Police had arrested 11 accused involved in organising the programme of the self-styled godman. One of the accused, Manju Yadav, is currently out on bail following orders from the Allahabad High Court.

Surajpal was not mentioned as an accused in the case, according to the FIR.

A total of 121 people, mostly women, were killed in the stampede after a "satsang" of Surajpal in Fulrai on July 2.

Government agencies, including police, have blamed the organisers for mismanagement at the event, noting that the crowd size exceeded 2.5 lakh whereas only 80,000 were allowed, even though the lawyer of the "godman" has claimed that "some poisonous substance" sprayed by "unidentified men" had triggered the stampede.

The FIR in the matter was lodged on July 2 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence).