Hathras stampede: In a first video statement after the July 2 stampede at a satsang in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras which claimed the lives of over 120 people, Surajpal, also known as ‘Bhole Baba’, said that he is “deeply saddened” after the incident and expressed confidence that the “miscreants” will not be spared. He said that he has urged the members of the committee to stand with the bereaved families and the injured.
“I am deeply saddened after the incident of July 2. May God give us the strength to bear this pain. Please keep faith in the government and the administration. I have faith that anyone who created the chaos would not be spared… Through my lawyer AP Singh, I have requested the members of the committee to stand with the bereaved families and the injured and help them throughout their lives,” Surajpal said.
His video statement comes as the authorities are seeking Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba for questioning for the incident that took place at his satsang in Hathras district’s Fulrai village.
Arrests made in the case
Devprakash Madhukar, the main accused in the stampede which claimed 121 lives, has been taken into custody by Uttar Pradesh Police after he surrendered in Delhi, his lawyer claimed on Friday night. Till Thursday, six people, including two women volunteers who were members of the organising committee of Bhole Baba’s ‘satsang’, had been arrested in the case.
The case was registered at the Sikandra Rao Police Station in Hathras.
Charges slapped
An FIR was lodged in the matter on July 2 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence).
On July 3, the Uttar Pradesh government had formed a three-member judicial commission headed by a retired high court judge to probe the Hathras tragedy and to look into the possibility of a conspiracy behind the stampede.
