Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In the aftermath of a tragic stampede at a ‘satsang’ event in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, which claimed 121 lives, Bhole Baba, a former constable-turned-self-styled godman, has publicly expressed his sorrow. “May God give us the strength to bear this pain. Please keep faith in the government and the administration. I have faith that anyone who created the chaos would not be spared,” Bhole Baba stated in an on-camera message. Through his lawyer, AP Singh, he has urged committee members to support the bereaved families and the injured.
The ‘satsang’ drew an overwhelming 2.5 lakh devotees, far exceeding the 80,000-person limit set by authorities. The stampede was triggered when attendees began collecting dust from the ground where Bhole Baba’s car had passed, resulting in a chaotic and deadly scene. Since the incident, Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari, had been elusive. His lawyer, AP Singh, affirmed yesterday that Bhole Baba will cooperate with the investigation. Singh added that Narayan Sakar Hari’s trust would assist the families of the deceased with education, health, and wedding expenses.
Devprakash Madhukar, the ‘mukhya sevadar’ of the ‘satsang’, has been arrested in Delhi, bringing the total number of arrests to seven. However, Singh, who also represents Madhukar, claimed that his client had surrendered voluntarily. “Today, we have surrendered Devprakash Madhukar, who was named the main organiser in the FIR in the Hathras case, after notifying the police, the SIT, and the STF in Delhi since he was undergoing treatment here,” Singh explained in a video message. He emphasized that they had promised not to seek anticipatory bail and were committed to cooperating with the investigation.
An FIR had been registered against Madhukar by UP Police in Hathras, naming him the prime accused in the stampede case. The police had even announced a reward of ? 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest. Six others, including two women volunteers from the organising committee, were also arrested.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been briefed on the initial Special Investigation Team (SIT) report, which includes testimonies from key officials such as Hathras District Magistrate Ashish Kumar and Superintendent of Police Nipun Aggarwal. The FIR has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The three-member SIT has recorded statements from 90 individuals so far. Additionally, the state government has established a three-member judicial commission headed by a retired high court judge to further investigate the incident.
