The Janmashtami festival at the ISKCON temple in Patna turned chaotic as a large number of devotees rushed to enter the temple premises. Though the situation created a stampede-like chaos, the police were able to quickly bring it under control with the help of security personnel. While a few devotees suffered minor injuries, no casualties were reported. This incident comes just weeks after a deadly stampede at another temple in Bihar that claimed several lives.
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.
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.
Delhi Police have filed a first information report (FIR) against Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra for a controversial social media post about National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma. The TMC leader had commented on a viral video showing Sharma's arrival at the site of a stampede in Uttar Pradesh, in which she later deleted. The video showed a man walking behind Sharma holding an umbrella, which sparked the controversy.
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.
Rajeev Shukla, BCCI VP, announced the schedule for the Indian cricket team on July 4th and revealed that the team will meet with PM Narendra Modi at 11 AM. Meanwhile, PM Modi has also addressed the decreasing violence in Manipur and efforts for complete peace. Also, authorities have implemented traffic diversions to ensure safety of animals, following a stampede which resulted in a tragic death toll.
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.