Journalism of Courage
A stampede occurred at a satsang in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of 121 people. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
According to the FIR, the organizers had permission for 80,000 attendees but failed to disclose that past events attracted lakhs of devotees. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
The stampede happened during a satsang conducted by Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari, also known as Bhole Baba. Here, victim of the Hathras stampede lie at Bagla District Hospital, in Hathras. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari, or Bhole Baba, was a former Uttar Pradesh Police constable named Suraj Pal Singh. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Sources said Singh, 58, hails from a Dalit family in Bahadur Nagar village of Kasganj district, about 65 km from Hathras where the stampede occurred. Here are the picture of relatives of the Stampede victims. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
ADG (Agra Zone) Anupam Kulshreshtha said most of the followers were women, including seven children and one man, as they felt suffocated. Here, Ice stacked for the deceased of the stampede. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
The stampede reportedly occurred as devotees sought blessings from Bhole Baba, involving a ritual of touching his feet and collecting dust the preacher had walked on before he left the venue. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Rain and slippery conditions contributed to the chaos, leading to people falling and being crushed. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
The victims are residents of districts across western UP such as Mathura, Etah, Shahjahanpur, Bulandshahr, Kasganj, and Hathras. In this picture, hospital staff is seen clicking pictures for identification of the victims of Stampede (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Rajesh Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police, Etah, stated, "The medical college is at full capacity, and we have requested private hospitals to provide beds for the victims." (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visits Hathras and has ordered an inquiry into the incident. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
A team consisting of ADG Agra and the Aligarh Commissioner has been formed to investigate and report on the cause of the stampede within 24 hours. Here, relatives are seen mourning near the body of a victim a day after a stampede. (PTI Photo)
