Varanasi stampede: Death toll mounts to 25, UP CM Akhilesh Yadav suspends five officials including city SP

Varanasi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday suspended at least six police personnnel including city Superintendent of police after the deadly stampede in Varanasi that claimed at least 25 lives. 

CM Akhilesh Yadav tweeted that the Superintendent of police (SP) city Sudhakar Yadav, SP (Traffic) Kamal Kishore, Circle Officer (CO) Rahul Misra and in charge of Ram Nagar and Mughalsarai police station were suspended for gross negligence leading to deaths.

Varanasi Incident: SP city, CO City Kotwali, SO Ram Nagar, SHO Mughalsarai, SP Traffic have been suspended with immediate effect. — CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) October 15, 2016

Action against five officials was initiated on the basis of the preliminary report of the principal secretary (Home) and the DGP and action against more district officials is likely to follow soon.

Yesterday, CM Akhilesh had directed the Commissioner, Varanasi, to institute a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

He had announced an ex gratia of Rs five lakh each to next of kin of those killed and free treatment to the injured, who have been admitted to different hospitals in Varanasi and Chandauli.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also an MP from Varanasi, expressed anguish over the incident and asked senior officials in Varanasi to take stock of the situation. He also announced a solatium of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured.

According to Zeenews report, at least 25 people have been killed and more than 50 were injured in a stampede on an overcrowded Rajghat bridge on the border of Varanasi and Chandauli when followers of a religious leader were crossing it to attend a congregation.

The incident took place in Ramnagar police station area of Varanasi when thousands of followers of Jai Gurudev were proceeding towards Domri village in Chandauli for the two-day samagam (camp).