Varanasi Stampede: Six police officials suspended for gross negligence

Varanasi: Taking stern action in the Rajghat Bridge stampede that killed 24 people including 15 women, Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday suspended six police officials including SP City for gross negligence.

UP Director General of Police (DGP) Javeed Ahmad said, “SP City, SP Traffic, CO Kotwali VNS, Thana in charge Ramnagar & Mughalsarai have been suspended for gross negligence leading to several deaths at Ramnagar bridge.”

Baba Jai Gurdev's sabha for tomorrow also has been cancelled in view of the stampede.

Stampede broke out on Saturday at Rajghat Bridge on Varanasi-Chandauli border under Ramnagar police station of Varanasi district in Uttar Pradesh, killing 24 people and injuring over 50.

The stampede took place when a devotee of Baba Jai Gurudev among a religious congregation of thousands fell down resulting in the mishap .They were going to attend a 'Samagam' of Baba in Doomaria.

UP Principal Secretary (home) Debashish Panda and DGP Javeed Ahmad, who were in New Delhi to attend an official function, had flown to Varanasi, the scene of incident.

Secretary (Home) S K Raghuvansi and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Daljit Chaudhary had rushed to the spot from Lucknow to supervise the rescue operations while the DGP admitted that the local police failed to access the quantum of the crowd.