Several days following a tragic stampede at a satsang in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, which resulted in the loss of 121 lives, the UP Police apprehended six members of the organizing committee of preacher Bhole Baba. All six individuals taken into custody were serving as ‘sevadars’ (volunteers) at the satsang.
Police officers have been stationed outside the ashram since the stampede occurred during the preacher’s gathering in Hathras. In the meantime, Rahul Gandhi paid a visit to Hathras on Friday, where he consoled the family members of the stampede victims. He also traveled to Aligarh to offer support to some affected families.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, paid a visit to Hathras on Friday in the aftermath of the tragic stampede that claimed the lives of 121 individuals. During his visit, the Congress leader consoled the family members of the deceased. Prior to this, he had also met with several affected families in Aligarh earlier in the day.
After meeting with the families of the stampede victims, Rahul Gandhi stated, “I don’t want to address this from a political perspective, but there have been administrative deficiencies. The priority is to ensure maximum compensation for these poor families. I urge Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide compensation generously.”
On Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh police arrested six members of the organizing committee for preacher Bhole Baba’s satsang, including two women. The only accused named in the FIR remains at large. A senior officer informed PTI that Surajpal, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari and Bhole Baba, will be questioned if necessary during the investigation.
Inspector General of Police (Aligarh Range) Shalabh Mathur informed reporters that all six arrested individuals worked as ‘sevadars’ (volunteers) at the satsang. A reward of Rs 1 lakh will soon be announced, and a non-bailable warrant (NBW) will be issued against the key accused, Devprakash Madhukar. The arrested individuals were identified as Ram Ladaite (50), Upendra Singh Yadav (62), Megh Singh (61), Mukesh Kumar (38), and women Manju Yadav (30) and Manju Devi (40).
On Wednesday night, the police entered the ashram premises of religious preacher Jagat Guru Saakar Vishwahari Bhole Baba in Mainpuri but found him absent. A police official mentioned that they were there to check security arrangements. The Uttar Pradesh government has established a three-member judicial commission headed by a retired high court judge to investigate the Hathras tragedy, including the possibility of a conspiracy behind the stampede.