CM Yogi Adityanath leaves for Hathras

 July 3 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath left on Wednesday morning for Hathras where a major stampede incident took place, killing 121 persons, on Tuesday evening. The chief minister, according to official sources, is likely to visit the site of the incident and also meet the injured persons in hospitals. He will also hold a meeting of top officials in the district to assess the situation and also the reasons behind it. Lucknow has been witnessing heavy rains since Tuesday night and the chief minister’s aircraft took off as soon as the rainfall stopped. According to reports, the incident took place while religious preacher ‘Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba’ was addressing his followers in a specially erected tent between the villages of Fhulrai and Mughalghadi in the Sikandra Rau area. The exact cause of the stampede remains unclear, with various theories circulating. Reports suggest that the hot and humid conditions at the venue caused discomfort among attendees, leading to panic and a rush to exit, which resulted in the stampede. A police officer at the scene said that over one lakh people had gathered to attend the event. As the satsang concluded, many attendees rushed to leave while others moved in the opposite direction to touch the baba’s feet and receive his blessings, creating chaos. --IANS amita/uk