India stampede: Bhole Baba linked to paper leak kingpin in Rajasthan, say police

Bhole Baba,the preacher at the centre of the Hathras stampede, used to stay at the home of the paper leak kingpin in Rajasthan.

Religious preacher Narayan Saakaar Hari or ‘Bhole Baba’ at whose satsang the deadly Hathras stampede took place, was familiar with a notorious paper leak accused from Rajasthan, police say.

Narayan Saakaar Hari used to stay at Harshvardhan Meena’s place in Dausa whenever he visited Rajasthan, according to the police.

ADGP (Special Operations Group) VK Singh said, Meena is the main accused in the 2020 Rajasthan Junior Engineer Exam (JEN) recruitment exam paper leak.

“We raided Meena’s house in Dausa in January in connection with the paper leak case. But before we reached, the preacher, who was staying with him, ran away. Although he is not linked to the paper leak case,” said Singh.

“Saakaar Hari used to organise satsangs at Meena’s house as well,” Singh added. Posters and banners of the Baba are still pasted in front of the house.

It was when an SOG official came across the pictures of the Hathras stampede in the media, they recognised that man as ‘Bhole Baba’.

Notably, Meena had allegedly arranged government jobs for over 500 youths in various government departments over the past 15 years by leaking papers of various competitive examinations.

As many as 20 beneficiaries are from his own family. When the police seized documents related to Meena’s properties in Jaipur, Dausa, and Mahwa, they discovered benami property worth Rs 5 crore ($5,98,847.50).

The Special Operations Group arrested Meena in February 2024.

Who is Bhole Baba?

The preacher, who is commonly known as 'Bhole Baba', is a former UP police staffer who claims to have worked with the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) for 18 years. He also claims that he took voluntary retirement in 1990 to pursue the path of spirituality.

Today, he is followed by thousands of people across north India, including in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan and the capital Delhi.

Bhole Baba is not active on social media but he says his organisational structure is solid at the grassroots level.

He usually organises his religious events in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh every Tuesday where hundreds of 'devotees' assemble. During such gatherings, volunteers ensure necessary arrangements for the visitors, including food and drinks.

(With inputs from agencies)