The 63 dead and 64 injured, who had converged at the ashram on the fateful day from half a dozen villages, essentially belonged to families living below the poverty line, whose last rites could not have been performed without financial support from the locals.
As many as 47 bodies were cremated or buried in six different villages within a 2-4 km radius of the scene of the tragedy--Bhakti Dham Ashram in Mangarh village near Kunda town of Pratapgarh district.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday lodged a FIR against the organisers of the bhandara (feast) on Thursday.
However, even as the feast was hosted by popular godman Kripalu Maharaj, the founder of Bhakti Dham in Mangarh village near Kunda town of Pratapgarh district , his name does not figure in the FIR.
"The ashram head was not around when the tragedy took place", claimed ashram employees, though eyewitnesses alleged that he had managed to slip away shortly after the disaster, only to return on Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, additional director general of police (law and order) Brij Lal told mediapersonsin Lucknow on Friday evening, "The FIR was lodged under section 304 A of the IPC , dealing with death caused due to negligence."
An official spokesman said, "we will provide every assistance to the families of victims and ensure that they were suitably rehabilitated, but so far, we do not intend to give them any monetary compensation."
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