New Delhi: Soon after more than 100 people died in a stampede at Satsang, Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari is likely to be arrested today. The self-styled godman whose original name is Suraj Pal, is believed to be at his ashram in Mainpuri, about 100km from the Phulrai village.
Many senior officials reached the Hathras stampede site and Ram Kutir Charitable Trust premises for further inquiry. Deputy Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar said that Bhole Baba could not be found after Uttar Pradesh Police conducted a search operation at Trust in Mainpuri. “We did not find Baba ji inside the campus… He is not here…”, said Shri Sunil Kumar.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to speed up relief work and ordered a probe into the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too offered condolences to the deceased. He wrote on X, “Spoke to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji regarding the tragic incident in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. The UP government is engaged in providing all possible help to all the victims. My condolences are with those who have lost their loved ones in this. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured”. The post was retweeted by CM Adityanath.
CM Yogi Adityanath vowed a thorough investigation into the incident to determine whether it was an “accident or a conspiracy.” He affirmed that the state government is committed to uncovering the truth behind the Hathras incident.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh said overcrowding was one of the reasons behind the stampede. After the ‘Satsang’, devotees were running after the vehicle of Baba Narayan Hari, who is also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba and had organized the event, while some bent down to collect soil from the venue and fell, Manoj Kumar Singh said. The chief secretary visited the stampede site with Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar.
The stampede took place at around 3:30 PM when Bhole Baba was leaving the venue. Bhole Baba is a former UP police staffer who worked with the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) for 18 years and took voluntary retirement in 1990, when he was posted in Etah, in order to pursue spirituality. Known for a certain flamboyance, he has a vast following among the lower middle class and the poor in the Etah-Kasganj and the Braj region and some other pockets.Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates
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