Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Pilakhna village in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday morning to meet with families affected by the tragic Hathras stampede, which claimed the lives of 121 people and left over a dozen injured. The stampede occurred during a religious gathering led by Suraj Pal, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari or ‘Bhole Baba’.
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Gandhi expressed condolences to the bereaved families and refrained from politicizing the incident, emphasizing the need for enhanced compensation for the affected families, who he described as very poor. He urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide more compensation promptly.
Speaking to reporters, Gandhi highlighted deficiencies in the system and acknowledged the families’ grievances regarding inadequate police arrangements during the gathering. He assured them of assistance through his party and listened to their accounts of the tragic event.
Accompanying Gandhi on his visit were state Congress chief Ajay Rai, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, and other officials. After his visit to Pilakhna village, Gandhi proceeded to Hathras, where he planned to meet with more families of the stampede victims in the Vibhav Nagar area later in the day.
The visit comes amidst calls for swift action and support for the affected families as investigations into the causes of the stampede continue.