Hathras stampede: Poison plot! Baba’s lawyer claims deadly conspiracy

Prime accused of the Hathras stampede case, Devprakash Madhukar, being brought by police to a hospital. File pic/PTI

Self-styled godman Bhole Baba's lawyer AP Singh alleged on Sunday that witnesses told him some people opened cans containing a poisonous substance in the crowd during the July 2 Hathras ‘satsang', triggering the stampede.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Singh also alleged a conspiracy, which he attributed to Bhole Baba's "rising popularity", behind the stampede.
The stampede after the ‘satsang' of self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras left 121 people, mostly women, dead.

"Witnesses have reached out to me and said there were 15-16 people carrying cans of a poisonous substance that they opened. I have seen post-mortem reports of those killed and it showed that they died of asphyxiation and not because of injuries," Singh claimed.

Alleging a conspiracy he said, "There were vehicles parked at the site to help the men escape. We have proof and we will submit it. This is the first time I am speaking about it."

Will question anyone required: Judicial panel

The judicial commission set up by the Uttar Pradesh government will speak to anyone required for its inquiry into the July 2 Hathras stampede, a probe panel member said on Sunday when asked if self-styled godman Bhole Baba will also be questioned.

The commission will also issue a public notice soon, asking local people and witnesses of the tragic incident to share any evidence related to the stampede, along with their statement, another member and chairperson of the panel retired Allahabad HC judge Brijesh Kumar Shrivastava said.

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