They say every saint has a past, and every sinner a future. The man held responsible for 121 deaths in Hathras, widely known as Baba Narayan Sakar Hari or Bhole Baba, or by his real name Surajpal Singh Jatav, has a past shrouded with grim tales that prompt one to wonder how a mere constable in UP police became an overwhelmingly powerful Baba overnight.
Originally a police constable, his placement was long-standing at the Local Intelligence Unit. However, during his service, he was arrested under the accusation of sexual assault which eventually led to his discharge from the police force. It was during his imprisonment that he was supposedly enlightened and transformed into Baba.
Once out of jail, the accused police constable turned into a spiritual preacher giving sermons and organizing satsangs. What started in his home eventually expanded to adjacent areas and across various states. Notably, he never mentioned losing his job at the force in his preaching, rather claimed voluntary retirement post a divine encounter.
From Police Constable to Baba After Sexual Assault Allegation
The reality was harsher; not one, but five cases have been slapped against him, with the FIRs lodged in Uttar Pradesh's districts of Agra, Etawah, Kasganj, Farrukhabad, and Dausa in Rajasthan. Post release, Baba claimed to have met the divine, assuring people he could alleviate their sorrows with his blessings. Unlike other holy men, he dressed in white suits instead of saffron, which came to be his Unique Selling Point.
Claimed Miraculous Cures with a Mystical Hand Pump
Following his release, Baba's influence grew among the less fortunate and less educated. He started by dubbing the water from his home's hand pump as magical, attracting people from afar. Wherever he established ashrams, a hand pump was a constant sight, and disciples deemed fortunate to drink from it. Pankaj, an acquaintance, told a story about Baba's adopted niece passing away from cancer. His followers were convinced of a miracle which led to clashes until police intervention and Baba's subsequent arrest. He was later acquitted.
Source: aajtak
Daughter's Death Challenged Beliefs, Sparked Chaos
From Bahadur Nagar village, Kastanga district, Baba hailed from a Dalit family. Naziz Khanam, the village chief's wife, disclosed that Baba, after quitting the force, renamed himself Bhole Baba, and his wife was known as Mata Shri. They had no children of their own. He built a grand ashram on his 30-acre land, where devotees from different districts and states visited for blessings and stayed on the premises.
Leaving his village under suspicion of conspiracy, Baba first resided in Agra's Kedarnagar, where neighbors express distress over the commotion caused by devoted visitors. Even after a fifteen-year absence, devotees keep coming, congesting lanes and occasionally leading to thefts.
Source: aajtak
Mysterious Companion: Not Wife But Aunt Sits Beside in Sermons
Baba's personal life, too, is shrouded in secrecy; his companionship with his aunt during satsangs raises eyebrows as to her actual role. Conflicts with his brother mean he no longer visits his village. Baba's follower base extends beyond Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi. Despite not being named in the FIR post the Hathras incident, Baba remains at large.
