
One year after Hathras stampede, families still in mourning as legal battle continues
Hathras stampede families still mourn as legal fight goes on
On July 2, 2024, a massive crowd had gathered in Mughal Garhi village, Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, for a religious event by self-styled godman Suraj Pal, also known as Bhole Baba. Permission was given for 80,000 people, but more than 2.5 lakh people arrived. After the event ended, chaos broke out when many followers rushed toward Bhole Baba’s car, trying to touch his feet or the ground where he walked. The wet and slippery field couldn’t handle the pressure of the crowd. In the stampede that followed, 121 people died — most of them were women and children.
Vinod, a shopkeeper from Sokhana village, lost his mother, wife, and daughter that day. A year later, he still struggles with the pain while taking care of his three children. “If Baba had real powers, he would have done a miracle that day,” he says. For him, every day feels heavy with sorrow. "Kuch nahi, bas mitti kharab ho rahi hai," he says — meaning everything feels worthless now.
Another villager, Jugnu from Navipur, lost his mother Munni Devi. He says her death haunts him every day. “She didn’t deserve to die like that,” he says. Rekha from Sokhana and Naina Devi from Navipur also lost their mothers-in-law in the tragedy. Their grief still feels fresh. The memories of their loved ones continue to hurt.
Legal case still going on
The investigation revealed many planning failures. There were not enough exits, and there was no strong security plan. Though Bhole Baba was questioned in Lucknow, the police did not name him as an accused. Instead, 11 of his close aides, including the main event organiser Devprakash Madhukar, were charged. They were booked under different sections of the law but are all out on bail.
The Uttar Pradesh government had set up a judicial commission to investigate the stampede. The commission gave Bhole Baba a clean chit in its report submitted on February 21, 2025, saying there was no direct evidence against him.
However, the legal fight continues in Hathras’ Additional Sessions Court-1. Senior Supreme Court lawyer A P Singh is representing Bhole Baba’s followers. He claims the stampede was a conspiracy and the police quickly filed a false chargesheet. So far, 31 hearings have taken place, and the next one is scheduled for July 19. The court is still deciding if charges should be officially framed. In one year, four judges have been changed in this case.
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The police have submitted a chargesheet that is 3,200 pages long and includes 676 witness statements. The accused were all sevadars (volunteers) of Bhole Baba and were helping in managing the crowd. The Allahabad High Court granted them bail.
As a result of the judicial probe, six government officers were punished. This included the suspension of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and the circle officer. The District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police were also transferred from their positions.
After the stampede, the Uttar Pradesh government announced compensation of ₹2 lakh for families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. But for many families, no amount of money can fill the emotional gap. Their daily lives continue to be filled with sadness, and the legal case gives them no closure yet. Many still wait for justice, even one year later.