A local court in Hathras has completed the examination and cross-examination of a key prosecution witness in the 2024 stampede case that claimed 121 lives. The court has now fixed January 22 as the next date of hearing as the trial continues.
Bags, slippers and other personal belongings were seen lying scattered at the spot in the Sikandara Rao area of Hathras, a day after the massive stampede that took place during a satsang (religious gathering) in July 2024, which led to the death of 121 people.
In a major development in the 2024 Hathras stampede case, a local court on Friday completed the testimony of an important prosecution witness and fixed January 22 as the next date of hearing. The case is being heard by the court of Additional Sessions Judge Mahendra Srivastava.
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According to the defence, the chief examination as well as the cross-examination of Narendra Singh, a head constable attached to the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU), were concluded during the hearing. Narendra Singh is considered a key prosecution witness in the case. The information was shared by the counsel for the accused, Munna Singh Pundir.
The case is related to the tragic stampede that occurred on July 2, 2024, during a religious congregation of Surajpal, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari, popularly called “Bhole Baba”.
The event was held between Mughalgarhi and Phulrai villages under the Sikandrarao police station limits.
The stampede resulted in the death of 121 people, most of whom were women and children. Several others also sustained serious injuries in the incident, making it one of the deadliest stampedes in recent years.
Following the incident, the police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. After completing the investigation, the SIT filed a chargesheet running into more than 3,200 pages. The chargesheet named 11 accused persons, including Devprakash Madhukar, who is an aide of the preacher.
The accused have been held responsible for lapses that allegedly led to the stampede. However, all 11 accused persons have already been granted bail, Pundir said.
After the completion of hearings on the chargesheet, the trial formally began. At present, the court is recording evidence, and trial proceedings are ongoing. Officials confirmed that witness examination will continue in the coming hearings as the court moves forward with the case.
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