Pratapgarh, March 05: A day after 63 women and children were killed in a stampede in an ashram, a criminal case has been registered against its management for allegedly causing death due to negligence.
“A case has been registered under Section 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) against Kripaluji Parishad, under the banner of which yesterday”s function was organised”, Pratapgarh Superintendent of Police Mahesh Kumar Mishra told.
He said there was no further rise in the toll and all the deceased have been identified and their bodies handed over to family members after post-mortem. The stampede had taken place at the ashram of Kripaluji Maharaj in Mangarh village, about 60 kms from here, where a feast had been organised for poor villagers in the memory of the Maharaj”s late wife.
Free meals were to be distributed at the ashram and every visitor was to receive a gift of a stainless steel plate, Rs 10 in cash, a ”laddoo” and a handkerchief. The stampede has also left more than 100 injured, 40 of them seriously.
Those seriously injured were admitted to the SRN hospital in Allahabad. Doctors said their condition continues to be critical.
—-Agencies