India suspends six officials for their carelessness during a deadly stampede at a religious gathering

Following a stampede as followers of a Hindu preacher in India sought the preacher’s blessings, government employees were suspended for incompetence.

Following accusations of “negligence” in the event management following a stampede that left 121 people dead last week, six police and government officials in India have been suspended.

A self-described guru attracted over 250,000 followers, far more than the 80,000 allowed by the authorities, resulting in one of the deadliest stampedes in Indian history in recent memory.

The event organizers were held accountable for not adhering to the requirements set forth for the gathering in the preliminary conclusions of an investigating panel, which were made public on Tuesday.

The Uttar Pradesh government declared, quoting the panel’s findings, “The organizers obtained permission for the event by withholding information.”

“Despite the unexpected size of the crowd, they did not follow the conditions set by local authorities, nor did they make adequate arrangements.”

In response, the preacher’s attorney, A.P. Singh, denied any wrongdoing on the part of the organizers and insisted that they had not withheld any information from the police.

Rather, he proposed that “anti-social elements,” who remain nameless, were responsible for the stampede.

According to Singh, police have taken nine people into custody who were involved in the event’s organizing.

The government noted that although the panel stressed the need for more research, it did not completely rule out the possibility that the tragedy was the result of a big conspiracy.

The state administration further stated that authorization for the event was given by a top district official in Hathras without a venue check.

The administration further claimed that local police and administrative personnel handled the incident carelessly and neglected to report it to higher authorities.

“They have been held responsible for their carelessness in carrying out their responsibilities,” the administration said in its statement.

As the preacher’s car drove away, followers chased after it, tripping over one another as they tried to get a better look at him and ask for his blessings. This led to the stampede.