10 Shocking Facts About the Hathras Stampede and ‘Bhole Baba’s’ Dark Past

10 Shocking Facts About the Hathras Stampede and ‘Bhole Baba’s’ Dark Past

ARABINDA RABHA

Hathras Stampede: Key Facts and Arrests

A tragic stampede at a ‘satsang’ in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, led to the deaths of over 120 people near Phulhari village on Tuesday. The incident occurred during a gathering led by ‘Bhole Baba’, a preacher whose real name is Suraj Pal alias Narayan Sakar Hari.

Known for his claims of having healing powers and being a ‘godman’, Bhole Baba was previously arrested in 2000 for allegedly trying to resurrect a deceased 16-year-old girl in Agra, though the case was later closed.

The stampede reportedly ensued as his followers rushed to collect dust from his feet while he was leaving. The event, which had permission for 80,000 attendees, saw an overwhelming crowd of 2.5 lakh people. The police have filed an FIR against the satsang’s organizers for this breach.

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Six Arrests and Ongoing Investigations

Six individuals, who served as sevadars at the event, have been arrested. Inspector General of Police (Aligarh Range) Shalabh Mathur confirmed their arrest and stated that a non-bailable warrant would be issued against chief sevadar Devprakash Madhukar, with a reward of ₹1 lakh for any information on him. Police are also investigating whether the stampede was a result of a conspiracy, examining Bhole Baba’s criminal history, and probing how the event was permitted without mentioning his name.

Bhole Baba’s lawyer, A P Singh, asserted that the preacher is willing to cooperate with the inquiry and alleged a conspiracy by ‘anti-social elements’.

Judicial Commission and Government Response

A three-member judicial commission, headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Brijesh Kumar Srivastav, has been established to investigate the tragedy. The bodies of all victims have been identified and returned to their families. The Uttar Pradesh government announced financial aid of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. Additional police forces have been deployed outside Bhole Baba’s ashram in Mainpuri.

This incident underlines the urgent need for stricter adherence to event permissions and crowd control measures to prevent such calamities in the future.

04-07-2024

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