Hathras stampede administrative lapse: Judicial panel

A judicial commission investigating the Hathras stampede incident, which claimed 121 lives, attributed the tragedy to administrative lapses while acknowledging a possible conspiracy. The commission’s report noted that permission was granted for an 80,000-strong audience, but the turnout exceeded 2.5 lakh. It did not hold Bhole Baba personally responsible, but cited failures in administration and his ‘sevadars’ as key factors.