Last year in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, the lawyer of the accused described the stampede in a satsang as a ‘pre -planned’, called the police the charge sheet filed in the court as ‘a bundle of lies’.
On July 2, 2024 in Sikandararau tehsil of Hathras district, 121 people were killed in a stampede during a spiritual program by the discourse Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba, mostly women and children in a stampede.
Except for the discourse, some prominent organizers of the program have been accused in the case.
Defense advocate AP Singh said on Friday that there are a total of 11 accused in the case, out of which 10 appeared in the district court on Friday while one accused could not appear due to unhealthy.
Surajpal’s legal advisor Singh alleged in the court that it was a ‘pre -planned’ stampede and claimed that the entire charge sheet, including witnesses listed by the police, was ‘bundle of lies’.
He alleged that the police had prepared a charge sheet in a hurry.
Singh said, “We are presenting the truth before the court and exposing the lie.”
Questioning the role of the police, the lawyer asked, “Why did 73 policemen on the spot remain silent? Was he influenced by the spiritual appearance and words of Narayan Sakar Hari, or were they working with faith and reverence?”
He claimed that if these officials had taken action in time, the alleged use of the ‘poisonous spray’ by the conspirators could have been prevented and the lives of the people could have been saved.
He told Singh that Narayan Sagar Hari never said that taking Charan Raj will benefit in the lives of people.
The court listed the next hearing in the case on June 30 after hearing Singh’s arguments.
