During a spiritual gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, a tragic stampede resulted in 116 fatalities. Dozens of people sustained severe injuries in the chaos that ensued, with heart-wrenching cries echoing through the area. Corpses piled up in the postmortem house. The police have lodged an FIR against Devprakash Madhukar, the main organizer and other coordinators. The charges fall under sections 105, 110, 126(2), 223, and 238 of the Indian Penal Code, IPC (2023). Notably, the name of Narayan Sakar Hari or 'Bholé Baba,' whose program led to the loss of hundreds of lives, is absent from the FIR.
The catastrophe happened near the village of Phularai along GT Road within Sikandra Rao jurisdiction in Hathras district on Tuesday. Renowned as 'Bholé Baba,' under the guise of Narayan Sakar World Hari, the event attracted a massive crowd of devotees, surpassing the allowed limit of 80,000 people. Following the end of the satsang, the departure turned into a fatal stampede claiming more than 100 lives, predominantly women.
Source: aajtak
According to the FIR, the organizers had estimated an attendance of 80,000 people for the July 2nd event. However, about 250,000 people from Uttar Pradesh and neighboring states attended, overwhelming the system. As 'Bholé Baba' was leaving after the satsang, his followers frantically tried to catch a glimpse, leading to the devastating stampede.
In the Hathras case, the FIR lists Devprakash Madhukar, a local main assistant to 'Bholé Baba', and other associates. They anticipated a large crowd but underreported it. The crowd's pressure obstructed traffic on GT Road near the venue, which police and administrative officers struggled to clear.
Source: aajtak
When the crowd started collecting dust from the path of the main speaker, Surajpal aka 'Bholé Baba', around 2 pm as he was leaving the site, the situation worsened. The overwhelming crowd, trying to flee, trampled those sitting or bending down, leading to an uproar. Across GT Road, the crowd was forcibly held back by the event committee and assistants wielding sticks in waterlogged and muddy fields, which only increased the pressure and ultimately led to men, women, and children being trampled. In no time, the ground was strewn with bodies, while 'Bholé Baba' himself left the scene, with his assistants failing to provide aid. Police forces were the only ones left to handle the aftermath.
