Hathras tragedy: Hunt for ‘Bhole Baba’ on after stampede at overcrowded satsang claims 121 lives
Bhole Baba claims to be a former employee of the Intelligence Bureau (IB),
A stampede during a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday (July 2), killed at least 121 people. The incident occurred at the satsang of Bhole Baba alias Narayan Saakaar Hari, which was attended by more than two lakh people.
The place was congested and the officials stated that the satsang site was too small to handle a large audience of 2.5 lakh devotees.
Following an extensive search by the Uttar Pradesh Police at the Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in the Mainpuri district for ‘Bhole Baba’ who conducted a satsang in Hathras that resulted in a stampede, deputy superintendent of police Sunil Kumar revealed that the self-styled godman was nowhere to be found.
Watch | UP Hathras Stampede: Death toll reaches 121, search on for preacher
“We did not find Baba inside the campus...He is not here...,” said Deputy SP Sunil Kumar, as reported by ANI.
Supreme Court urged to lay down guidelines
A writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 3) to appoint a five-member expert committee under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge to inquire into the Hathras stampede which has seen over 121 deaths.
The petition filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari also asked the court to lay down safety guidelines for mass meetings and public gatherings.
A case has been filed against the event's organisers and a close assistant, or "mukhya sewadar," of the self-proclaimed godman. However, Bhole Baba, whose real name is Suraj Pal Singh, is not included as an accused in the First Information Report, or FIR.
Suraj Pal, also known as Bhole Baba, has a history of legal problems, including accusations of assault,and his contentious satsangs.
His claims of spiritual enlightenment and benefits have attracted a sizable following, even in the face of several charges brought against him in different courts around the country, including Agra, Etawah, Kasganj, Farrukhabad, and Rajasthan.
Suraj Pal, who was born in Bahadur Nagar, Kasganj, briefly worked for the police until running into legal issues in 1997 over accusations of sexual assault. As a result, he was sentenced to jail. After being freed, he assumed the name "Saakaar Vishwa Hari Baba" and began drawing followers to his ashram in his hometown.
(With inputs from agencies)
