Hathras Stampede has become one of the worst tragedies in just a few hours. The death toll has reached 121 and is likely to go up with several people under treatment. Police are conducting a thorough search operation at Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri district in search of ‘Bhole Baba’, who organised the Satsang in Hathras.
The question arises here how a religious congregation becomes a ground of mass deaths.
What Led To Hathras Stampede?
Superstition, Humidity And Suffocation: The stampede which took lives of of 121 people by now is said to be triggered by desperation amongst devotees to touch the godman’s feet and collect soil from the ground near his feet. Many women lost their lives in Hathras when chaos erupted following the conclusion of a self-styled godman’s gathering. Organizers attempted to clear a path for the godman’s convoy to exit, causing crowds to gather along this corridor. A group of women, halted by the godman’s aides to allow the convoy through, sought to touch the godman’s vehicle or collect soil from its path. This led to a stampede, severed by the crowd’s eagerness to depart amidst high humidity and suffocating conditions.
Lack of Medical Facilities: Sources suggest that there was a lack of hospital beds to accommodate the injured people. It is reported that some people died because of a lack of necessary medical facilities.
Overcrowding: According to the reports, The chief sewadar (of Baba) in his application for the programme said that around 80,000 people will attend the satsang. But 2.5 lakhs were reached which led to overcrowding and subsequently the stampede. There was a lack of crowd control management and there were no emergency exits at the event venue.
State authorities, including the DGP and Chief Secretary, are conducting a thorough investigation on-site. Despite assurances from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that the police will thoroughly investigate, no arrests have been made yet.
Who Is ‘Bhole Baba’ Behind the Hathras Stampede?
Suraj Pal Singh, also known as ‘Bhole Baba’ among his followers, belongs to Bahadur Nagari village in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district. He had a notable career in the UP police, serving as a head constable in the Intelligence Unit for over 18 years.
In 1999, he opted for voluntary retirement after facing a sexual harassment case. He and adopted the name Narayan Saakar Hari to embark on a spiritual path. Citing a strong pull towards spirituality and global harmony, he resigned from his job to begin holding satsangs, or spiritual discourses. Narayan Hari is often seen dressed in a white suit with a tie or a simple kurta pyjama, often accompanied by his wife Prem Bati. He professes to not retain any monetary offerings made by his followers during satsangs, instead distributing them among his devotees.
