The Gwalior bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday issued notices to Union Home Secretary and others in connection with the recent Ratangarh temple stampede case that claimed more than hundred lives last Sunday.
Three Public Interest litigations (PIls) were filed in the High Court demanding Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in the Ratangarh incident.
While hearing the PIls, the High Court on Friday issued notices to Union Home Secretary, Principal Secretary Home of Madhya Pradesh, Datia District Collector and SP.
Justices SK Gangele and Sheel Nagoo have directed the Collector and SP to submit an affidavit by October 28, stating the arrangements made for the fair at the Ratangarh temple on November 5.
One of the PIls was filed by RTI activist Gaurav Pande, who had alleged that the administration had never made any arrangement of medical and law and order at the temples or mosques. A similar incident had taken place at the same place in the year 2006, he added.
Notably, in Ratangarh, stampede had occurred in Ratangarh when the devotees were crossing the bridge over the Sindh River for offering prayers in a Devi temple. The incident had claimed 115 lives and the State Government had ordered a judicial probe into the incident.
Taking cognizance of the incident, Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) has also issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP).