Hathras stampede: Plea in SC for 5-member expert panel to probe incident

New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) A plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking appointment of a five-member expert committee under the supervision of a retired apex court judge to probe the Hathras stampede incident which claimed 121 lives.

The plea, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, has also sought a direction to the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a status report on the July 2 incident and to initiate legal action against officials and others for their negligent conduct.

The petition has also sought a direction to all the state governments to submit a status of medical facilities available from the block/Tehsil to the district level to deal with incidents of stampede.

A stampede at a religious congregation on Tuesday killed 121 people, most of them women, as devotees suffocated to their deaths and bodies piled atop each other in the worst such tragedy in recent years.

Over 2.5 lakh devotees had gathered in Hathras district's Phulrai village for the 'satsang' conducted by Baba Narayan Hari, who is also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba. PTI