All 11 accused arrested in connection with the Hathras stampede, including key accused Devprakash Madhukar, appeared before a local court virtually. Their lawyer A P Singh reiterated the conspiracy theory, alleging involvement of unidentified men in causing the stampede. The case will be heard next on August 23, with Singh claiming that one of the accused arrested was not present during the event.
Following the recent Hathras incident, the spotlight has turned towards Surajpal, also known as Bhole Baba or Narayan Sakar Hari, and shocking claims have emerged about his activities. Women who attended his satsang have revealed that he was always surrounded by young girls who treated him as their husband and saw the form of God in his special glasses. They also mentioned that the girls would wear special red dresses and dance in ecstasy during the satsang. The girls were also responsible for all of Baba's tasks and were categorized as unmarried disciples and married women who were not allowed to come near him.
The Supreme Court has granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case, but has raised concerns over his position in light of the allegations against him. The court has asked Kejriwal to make his own decision on whether he should step down from office. The decision comes after a New Delhi court extended Kejriwal's judicial custody in a corruption case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. Meanwhile, the government has declared June 25 as 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas' to commemorate the 1975 Emergency, but the move has been met with criticism from the Congress. In other news, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has stated that the state will appeal against the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's directive to release water to Tamil Nadu, while the Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking an inquiry into the Hathras stampede.
The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended several local officials following the release of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on the Hathras stampede that claimed 121 lives. The report revealed lapses in crowd management and possible conspiracy by the event organizers, who have now been found guilty of concealing information, failing to make proper arrangements, and preventing police from inspecting the site. While the SIT has recommended action against these officials, a separate judicial commission is also investigating the incident and nine people have been arrested so far.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the stampede at the Satsang in Hathras has submitted its report, recording statements from 119 people. The report holds the committee organizing the event responsible for the tragedy, as they invited more people than permitted and failed to make adequate arrangements. Despite granting permission for the event, officials had not inspected the site, which led to a stampede while collecting 'Baba's Charan Dhul'.
Advocate AP Singh's remarks to ANI about a pre-planned conspiracy at the Hathras stampede have sparked calls for further inquiry. Singh alleges unidentified individuals used poisonous substances to cause the stampede, and urges the Special Investigation Team to uncover those responsible. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also called for a judicial inquiry, emphasizing the need to determine if the stampede was an accident or a deliberate act. The state government's decision to conduct an inquiry reflects concerns over the incident's nature and potential involvement of outside forces.
The murder of BSP Tamil Nadu president Armstrong has led to the formation of 10 special teams for investigation, while the main suspect in the Hathras stampede has surrendered to authorities. In other political news, the Odisha Assembly session is set to begin on July 22, with the budget being presented on July 25.
India Today conducted an undercover operation in Hathras, where a stampede killed 121 people and injured over 30. The sting operation uncovered the lapses on the part of first responders, including the Station House Officer, Circle Officers, and doctors in the area. This comes amidst the ongoing uproar over the tragic incident.
Amidst the coverage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha speech in the Motion of Thanks, leading news channels were accused of showing indifference to the Hathras stampede where over 100 people lost their lives. Insensitive reporting and government's lack of empathy towards the incident is being criticized. It is found that the incident took place before 3 pm, yet it took TV news channels nearly three hours to make it the headline. This has sparked a debate on media priorities and government accountability.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha has called for the harshest action against those involved in organizing the Hathras Satsang event, stating that the edited video circulating showed the blatant disregard for COVID-19 protocols. The Enforcement Directorate has also revealed that a key person involved in the AAP's alleged excise policy scam was a cash handler for the party in the upcoming Goa elections. Meanwhile, security outside Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Delhi residence has been heightened after intelligence inputs of possible disturbance from right-wing groups.