By D. W. G. Kalani Tharanga, JadeTimes News
The Incident and Legal Repercussions
The self styled guru known as Bhole Baba, who led a religious gathering in India where over 120 people were crushed to death, has denied any responsibility for the tragedy and pledged full cooperation with the police investigation. Bhole Baba's lawyer, AP Singh, stated that the disaster was caused by "anti social elements" and alleged a "criminal conspiracy" against his client. On Thursday, police reported the arrest of six individuals from the event’s organizing committee.
The majority of the victims were women and children attending the satsang, a Hindu religious festival, in the Hathras district. The incident has sparked widespread outrage in India, raising questions about the event's security measures. Contrary to some reports, Mr. Singh denied that the festival's security staff incited panic by pushing away those seeking Bhole Baba's blessing, calling such claims "totally false."
The Event and Its Aftermath
The crush occurred in Pulrai village during a gathering led by Bhole Baba. According to an initial police report, permission was granted for 80,000 attendees, but the event saw a turnout of approximately 250,000. Chaos ensued as the preacher left the venue, with eyewitnesses describing how people lost their footing and fell as they rushed towards his vehicle. Survivors recounted seeing hundreds of women running after the preacher’s car, some crossing a highway and falling into a nearby drain, leading to further casualties as people fell on top of each other.
Local resident Yogesh Yadav, one of the first on the scene, described the chaos as people attempted to cross to a mud soaked field but were stopped by organizers and subsequently crushed. Disturbing images from the disaster's aftermath showed wounded individuals being transported to hospitals using pick up trucks, tuk tuks, and motorbikes. This tragedy is considered one of the worst crushes in India in recent years.
Bhole Baba, originally named Suraj Pal and later renamed Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari, was once a police constable before leaving the force in 2002. He has since gained a large following in Uttar Pradesh, with an ashram in Mainpuri, about 100 km from Pulrai village. Despite the tragic events, Bhole Baba has pledged to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.