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Hathras stampede: Bhole Baba's lawyer claims '10-12 people sprayed poison'
Bhole Baba's lawyer said the Hathras stampede was planned.
AP Singh, preacher Bhole Baba's lawyer, claimed on Sunday that the Hathras stampede occurred because a group of 15-16 people sprayed poison during the religious event. The lawyer claimed the group of conspirators fled the venue after triggering the stampede.
121 people died in the stampede in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras last week during a religious event dedicated to preacher Bhole Baba.
The lawyer said the stampede was planned.
"A heart-wrenching incident happened. 15-16 people were involved in the conspiracy. The permission was taken. The map was attached to the permission. Some unidentified vehicles were there at the spot of the stampede. 10-12 people sprayed poison. Witnesses had said the women were falling and many died due to breathlessness. They fled from the spot. The SIT and SP Hathras are investigating. The CCTV footage should be seized, so that those vehicles can be identified. It was all planned," he claimed, per PTI.
Preliminary probe reports say that the organisers had secured permission for the event with a maximum turnout of 80,000. However, over 2.5 lakh people attended the gathering.
Also read: ‘Deeply saddened’: Hathras ‘baba’ appears on video, sparks furore
The stampede allegedly took place when Bhole Baba's supporters rushed to gather mud from the path the preacher had walked on.
What did Bhole Baba say on Hathras stampede?
On Saturday, Suraj Pal Singh or "Bhole Baba" broke his silence on the Hathras stampede and said those who created the chaos will not be spared.
"I am deeply saddened by the incident of July 2. May God give us the strength to bear this pain. Please keep faith in the government and the administration. I have faith that those who created the chaos will not be spared. Through my lawyer AP Singh, I have requested the members of the committee to stand with the bereaved families and the injured and help them throughout their lives," the 'Baba' said.
Main accused surrendered
The main accused, identified as Devprakash Madhukar, surrendered in front of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) last week.
AP Singh had said he would not file any anticipatory bail because his clients hadn't done anything wrong.
The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a three-member probe panel under the chairmanship of Justice (retd) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava. The panel has asked the masses to send them video recordings of the event and the stampede.
The panel has been asked to complete the probe in the next two months.
So far, nine people, including Madhukar, have been arrested in connection with the stampede.
