In a tragic incident, over 107 people lost their lives after a stampede erupted during a ‘satsang’ (religious prayer meeting) in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. The incident has drawn the attention of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who has formed a committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
The ‘Satsang’ was reportedly organized by Sakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, formerly known as Saurabh Kumar. Before embarking on his spiritual journey, Bhole Baba reportedly served in the intelligence department of the Uttar Pradesh Police for 17 years. After resigning from his position, he dedicated his life to spiritual preaching, often seen delivering lessons dressed in a white suit and tie. He conducts ‘Satsang’ programs with his wife and is popularly known as ‘Sakar Vishwa Hari Baba of Patiali.’ His gatherings typically attract hundreds of attendees, with his following extending beyond Uttar Pradesh to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Both Bhole Baba and his followers maintain a low profile with the media.
A devotee shared that Bhole Baba did not have a religious mentor and had a ‘vision’ of a deity soon after his voluntary retirement, which spurred his spiritual pursuits. His ‘satsangs’ are held every Tuesday, and before the Hathras event, he conducted a similar program in the Mainpuri district the previous week.
Bhole Baba previously courted controversy during the Covid pandemic when he requested permission for a ‘satsang’ in Farrukhabad district in May 2022, intended for only 50 attendees. However, the gathering swelled to over 50,000 people, posing significant challenges for the local administration.
According to reports, the stampede at the Hathras event on Tuesday began when Bhole Baba’s servitors prevented attendees from leaving the venue amid extreme heat and humidity, prioritizing the departure of the preacher and his entourage. When the crowd was eventually allowed to exit, chaos ensued, leading to the fatal stampede. Victims, both dead and unconscious, were transported to the Sikandara Rao Trauma Centre in trucks and other vehicles. Images showed bodies laid outside the health centre as people gathered around them. In one video, a woman was seen crying among several bodies in a truck, and another image showed lifeless individuals in a vehicle.
Authorities have assigned a team, including the Agra additional director general of police and the divisional commissioner of Aligarh, to investigate the incident. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the families affected by the stampede and directed officials to provide immediate relief measures. He also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
The tragedy has brought to light the critical need for better crowd management and safety measures at large religious gatherings to prevent such devastating occurrences in the future.
