English
The religious event led by self-styled godman Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as ‘Bhole Baba’, turned into a nightmare as a stampede resulted in the loss of at least 121 lives in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. The chaos unfolded when a massive crowd of devotees gathered to collect ‘Baba’s Charan Dhul,’ causing a commotion that led to a tragic stampede near a ditch in a field where the satsang was being held. Eyewitnesses revealed that over 50,000 followers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan attended the ‘satsang’ in an open field. As the event concluded, devotees rushed to seek blessings and collect sacred soil from the godman’s feet, triggering a fatal chain of events. The race to obtain the “sacred soil” led to people stumbling and falling into the ditch, resulting in a numerous fatalities and injuries.
Apparently, it was a kind of ‘pratha’ (ritual), where the godman’s followers touch his feet and collect “pair ki dhool” as a blessing after the satsang. Some also pointed out that the number of people present at the venue exceeded much more than the permitted limit.
Eyewitness also said the rush among Bhole Baba’s followers for collecting “raj” (dust) over which the preacher’s vehicle had passed while leaving the venue was the reason for the stampede. “Baba had left after addressing satsang for over one-and-a-half hours on Tuesday. The followers raced to have ‘raj’ but slipped because of slippery ground and fell on each other, leading to the stampede,” said a eyewitness to HT.
“Log unka darshan karna chahte the aur gaadi ka dhool lena chahte the (People wanted to get his darshan and take the soil from the road on which his car left the venue). After the satsang got over, people started leaving in groups and because it was raining, many slipped and people kept falling on each other and got crushed,” said Vikas Kumar, whose grandmother was among those deceased.
Jyoti, a teenage survivor undergoing treatment at Etah’s district hospital, vividly recalls the harrowing experience of the stampede. In her chilling account, she details how the dense crowd frantically attempted to exit the enclosure simultaneously, resulting in utter chaos and a tragic crush. According to Jyoti, the situation escalated as people piled on top of each other, with narrow exits obstructed by parked motorcycles, exacerbating the pandemonium.
An FIR has been registered under sections 105, 110, 126(2), 223, and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, against Dev Prakash Madhukar, known as ‘Mukhya Sewadar’, and other event organizers in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. The tragic stampede claimed 121 lives, prompting Advocate Gaurav Dwivedi to file a PIL in the Allahabad High Court for a CBI inquiry.
The incident occurred during a religious discourse in Hathras, resulting in numerous casualties and over 300 injuries, predominantly among women and children. The stampede transpired while ‘Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba’ addressed his followers in a tent between Fhulrai and Mughalghadi villages in the Sikandra Rau area.
Amid the chaos, approximately 20 people were reported missing. Rescue operations were ongoing, with efforts focused on identifying the missing individuals.
The cause of the stampede remains uncertain, leading to various speculations and theories circulating within the community. As investigations progress, the focus is on determining the factors that contributed to this tragic event.
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest Uttar Pradesh News on India.com.
