"Women are easy targets for such babas due to lack of education," says NCW chief Rekha Sharma on Hathras incident

Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 3 : A team from the National Commission for Women led by chairperson Rekha Sharma and member secretary Meenakshi Negi met the injured women victims of the Hathras stampede incident on Wednesday and said most of the participants in the event were women. She said that there is a need to counsel and educate women, as they become easy targets for Babas in such events due to lack of education.
She called the organizer Bhole Baba "illegal" and questioned whether the incident was pre-planned or initiated on somebody's signal..
The NCW team informed about its delegation visit on its social media handle X while writing, "Today, a team from the National Commission for Women, led by Hon'ble Chairperson Smt Rekha Sharma and Member Secretary Smt Meenakshi Negi, visited Hathras. They met with the DM & SSP and visited the hospital with CMO Hathras to meet the injured women victims of this grave tragedy. #NCW #Hathras @sharmarekha @hathraspolice @PIBWCD."
Speaking with ANI, Rekha Sharma said, "In this tragic incident, the women were killed mostly which represents the strong presence of women in this event and as per the estimate, the number of women present in the event was said to be around 2 lakhs, but we don't have proof, as photographs were prohibited. I think that the Baba (Bhole Baba) was involved in illegal activities because he took permission only for 80,000 people but he gathered 2 lakh people and at the time of the incident, he just fled from the spot."
Adding to it, she said, "There should be FIR against the fled Baba and he should immediately be arrested. He should be questioned that whether the incident was pre-planned or occurred at somebody's signal. The question is why he and his sevadaars fled from the site when such a big incident occurred."
Responding to the questions about NCW's action on the incident, Sharma stated, "I have come to gather the "action-taken" report. I have met the DC and SP of the district. A team has been constituted under ADG Mathura and after they submit their report, we will see what comes under the report."
After meeting with women victims, she said, "They are not critically injured, but they need counselling as they are struck with trauma. One of them has sustained physical injuries while the others have bruises, swelling and blunt injuries."
Highlighting the women's participation in the event, Sharma asserted, "Women are easy targets for such events, as, due to lack of their education. We need to educate and counsel them not to follow such Babas."
On the question of whether the incident occurred due to the negligence of the administration or not, Sharma stated, "As per my information, the sevadaars of the Baba were not letting the police enter in the event. Also, they were not letting anybody click pictures. I have talked to one of the two injured women constables who went to save people, they also told me the same thing. They had devastated the administration too. I think these people should immediately be jailed and given stricter punishments."
The tragic stampede incident that occurred on Tuesday in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras claimed the lives of 121 people and as many as 35 people are injured.
The prime facie report submitted by the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of the Sikandra Rao division of the district suggests that the stampede occurred as devotees rushed to seek blessing from 'Bhole Baba', the preacher at the religious congregation Satsang, as he was about to leave the venue after the prayer.
The preacher 'Bhole Baba' identified as Suraj Pal is also known by the names of Narayan Sakar Hari and Jagat Guru Vishwahari.
As per prima facie report, the devotees rushed to seek blessings and collect soil from around the preacher's feet, but were stopped by the security personnel of 'Bhole Baba'. Later, they started pushing one another due to which several people fell to the ground, leading to chaos at the site.
Some people ran towards the adjoining field filled with mud, due to which they fell down and were crushed by other devotees, the report stated.
"The injured were taken to the hospital by the police and security personnel present at the site", it further said.
Meanwhile, an FIR has been lodged against Devprakash Madhukar, referred to as 'Mukhya Sewadar' and other organizers of the 'Satsang'. The preacher 'Bhole Baba', who is currently untraceable, has not been named in the FIR.
Uttar Pradesh police have launched a search operation at Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri district.
FIR has been filed under Sections 105, 110, 126(2), 223, and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.