In the aftermath of the tragic stampede in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, the bereaved families of 123 casualties have witnessed the unsettling truths about Bhole Baba. Following the incident, Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as Bhole Baba or Surajpal Singh Jatav, had proclaimed that he would offer help to the victims. However, even after two weeks, neither he nor his followers have rendered any support. The only thing forthcoming are daily lofty claims by his lawyer.
Ever since the disaster in Hathras, Bhole Baba has been untraceable. The police might not have located him, but the reality of Narayan Hari's 'new scandal' has indeed been uncovered. Immediately after the catastrophe, he made a public announcement via a video statement promising assistance to the devotees caught up in the stampede. He vowed to take full responsibility for the deceased devotees' families and to extend all possible help. Nevertheless, the victims report that they have neither been approached nor received any assistance from his side.
Just like his sermons, Bhole Baba has once again ensnared his followers in his web of illusions. The families of the devotees who lost their lives in the stampede are still awaiting the promised help from Baba Narayan Hari. Relatives of a deceased, Chandraprabha, revealed that no contact has been made by Baba's entourage, nor has any help been offered. On the contrary, the government support has been delivered, with the victim's families receiving checks of 2 lakhs INR each.
17-year-old Khushboo attended Baba's congregation along with her family but never returned home alive. Her family accuses the sage of making false promises, as no help or even a home visit has been extended by his institution. Khushboo's father, Rajkumar, states that while the government aid of two lakhs INR has been received, nothing has come from Baba's side. Similar accounts emerge from the families of Meera and Sudha, who lost two daughters forever when they attended Baba's sermon.
Their kin express that while government checks have reached their homes, the much-anticipated aid from Baba Narayan Sakar Hari has not materialized. They lament that during their hour of grief, even a few consoling words would have sufficed. Such incidents trigger profound questions – why Bhole Baba resorted to lies of such magnitude, why he has not made a public appearance following the incident, why he is only issuing video statements, and why no legal action has been initiated against him?
The nation waits for answers to these pressing questions. The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a three-member investigative committee to inspect the tragedy. Preliminary findings have revealed startling facts, pointing to Bhole Baba's declaration as the catalyst for the calamity. The situation was peaceful until the afternoon of July 2nd when more than 200,000 devotees were engaged in peaceful and reverential listening to Bhole Baba's discourse.
Bhole Baba typically prolongs his sermons for about one and a half to two hours. However, on July 2nd, due to the sweltering heat and the congregation size exceeding three times the capacity, Baba curtailed his speech. Initiating his sermon at 12:30 PM, he concluded within an hour by 1:30 PM, and still, all was calm.
But, moments before the end of his sermon, Bhole Baba commanded the devotees that they could now collect the dust from his feet. All it took was these words for the crowd to erupt in chaos, leading to one of the most harrowing stampedes in recent memory, as narrated by those present at the scene.
The investigative committee, chaired by retired judge Brijeesh Kumar Srivastava, along with retired IAS officer Hemant Rao and Bhavesh Kumar, commenced its inquiry with witness statements from those present during the stampede. Thus far, the committee has recorded statements from 34 eyewitnesses.
One witness testified before the committee, stating that it was Bhole Baba's order to collect the dust from his feet that sparked panic among the previously tranquil devotees. Even as they saw Baba leaving, they did not stop; instead, they chased the dust kicked up by his departing car, leading to numerous injuries and casualties among those who were trampled by the surging crowd.
Source: aajtak
The eyewitness also highlighted a lack of security arrangements at the site – none from the police administration nor Bhole Baba's aides. The attempts to control the crowd by the sage's followers, who were pushing people around, led to the mayhem, worsened as they tried to make way for Baba's convoy. In the chaos, many devotees slipped from the road into the fields.
