Hathras: Contrary to top officials' claims on Tuesday that action would be taken against local preacher Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as Bhole Baba, the initial FIR in the Hathras stampede case does not name him.
Even as the death toll went up to 121 with numerous devotees still hospitalised, for the first time since the incident, Bhole Baba issued a statement through his lawyer. The preacher, even as he expressed sorrow and grief over the tragedy, alleged that antisocial elements were responsible for causing the chaos. He also clarified that he had left the ‘satsang’ well before the stampede occurred. He has also conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
FIR Registered Under Various Sections Of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
The statement came even as a SDM-led preliminary probe stated that the stampede happened when devotees were pushed by the preacher’s security. The FIR, filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110, 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 223, and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offense, or giving false information to screen offender), targets main sewadar Devprakash Madhukar and other unidentified organizers and sewadars.
Senior Supreme Court advocate Dr. A.P. Singh has been authorized to pursue legal action against the culprits behind the stampede. According to the complaint filed by Sub-Inspector Brajesh Pandey, the event organizers had sought permission for 80,000 devotees but failed to disclose that previous gatherings by the organization had attracted much larger crowds.
Details About The Day Of The Tragedy
On the day of the stampede, approximately 250,000 people from various districts and neighbouring states attended, causing massive traffic congestion on G.T. Road. The FIR states that after Bhole Baba's sermon, attendees began collecting the dhool (dust) from the path his vehicle had taken, leading to chaos.
On the other side of G.T. Road, people were crushed by the ensuing stampede in a three-meter-deep waterlogged field. While police transported the injured to hospitals, ‘sewadars’ allegedly did not cooperate and disposed of the belongings, clothes, and shoes of the injured, thereby destroying evidence.
Sources indicate that Bhole Baba remained inside his ashram in Bichhwa following the incident. While police claimed he did not come out on Tuesday night, followers insisted he was inside. On Wednesday morning, a convoy of vehicles left the ashram, sparking speculation that Bhole Baba had left. Heavy police forces are stationed outside the ashram as officials assess the situation, considering Bhole Baba's armed security retinue.
The event, organized under the banner of Manav Mangal Milan Sadbhavana Samagam, had seen preparations for several days, with attendees arriving in thousands of vehicles, causing an 8-km traffic jam. Reports indicate that police intelligence had warned of over 125,000 people gathering at the satsang and had expressed concerns about a potential incident. However, officials did not take the warnings seriously, leading to the devastating outcome.
Judicial probe
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who visited Hathras on Wednesday has announced a judicial probe into the stampede incident.
"I had a conversation with several eyewitnesses and they informed me that the incident took place after the programme was over when the preacher of the Satsang was coming down from the stage. Suddenly several women started moving toward him to touch him and the sevadars (volunteers) stopped them, due to which this accident happened. The administration was not allowed to enter inside by the sevadars," the Chief Minister said at a press conference.
SDM preliminary report
The SDM, who gave permission for the 'satsang,' was also present at the venue when the incident occurred, according to a report.
A crowd of more than 2 lakh people was present in the satsang pandal. Bhole Baba reached the venue at about 12.30 pm and the program went on for an hour.
"When the ‘godman’ was leaving the venue and headed towards Etah on National Highway-91, his followers started running towards him for a 'darshan' and collect soil from around his feet. A large number of people were already standing on the dividers in the middle and on the sides of GT road; they, too, started jumping from the divider and started running towards Baba's vehicle to get his darshan. At this point, the Baba's personal security personnel (Black Commandos) and sevadars started pushing and shoving the crowd, due to which some people fell down," the report states, adding this led to a panic and the crowd went out of control.
The crowd ran towards an open field in front of the venue, on the other side of the road, where most of the people slipped and fell while descending from the road towards the field on a wet slope. Those who fell could not get up and were run over by those coming from behind.
In a related development, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea has been filed before the Allahabad High Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the incident.
