On Wednesday, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court requesting the formation of a five-member expert committee under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge to investigate the recent stampede in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, which claimed the lives of more than 100 people in July. The petition, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, calls for a comprehensive probe into the incident and demands accountability for the negligent actions of individuals and authorities involved.

The petition highlights the necessity of the committee not only to investigate the incident but also to propose guidelines and safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future, particularly during large public gatherings. Additionally, it urges the State of Uttar Pradesh to submit a detailed status report to the Supreme Court and to initiate legal action against those responsible for the negligence that led to the stampede.

The tragic event occurred during a ‘Satsang’ organized by self-styled godman Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Saakar Hari, which attracted over 200,000 devotees despite permission being granted for only 80,000 attendees. This severe overcrowding resulted in a chaotic and deadly stampede, disproportionately affecting women and children among the victims.

Tiwari’s plea references several historical instances of similar tragedies, including the 1954 Kumbh Mela stampede with approximately 800 fatalities, the 2007 Mecca Masjid stampede in Hyderabad that killed 16, the 2022 Mata Vaishno Devi shrine deaths, the 2014 Dussehra celebration fatalities at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, and the 2011 Sabarimala stampede in Pulmedu, Idukki which took 104 lives.

These incidents clearly reflect a serious lapse in responsibility and duty of care by government authorities. Over the past decade, numerous such tragedies could have been avoided with proper management and preventive measures,” the plea states, underscoring the dire need for systemic reforms in handling large public gatherings.