Tens of thousands of his devoted followers would travel to Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states for his "satsang." However, on Wednesday, controversial preacher Bhole Baba—who in his sermons compared himself to God—opted not to appear in public as the relatives of more than 100 people who died in the stampede at his Hathras congregation mourned their loss.
A preliminary inquiry report said chaos - caused after the followers were pushed by the godman's security - and a "slippery slope" resulted in the stampede that killed over 121 people in Hathras on Tuesday.
The self-styled godman, who is called Baba Narayan Hari and Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, is not named in the list of the accused in the FIR filed in the incident though his name is in the complaint.
Over two decades after he quit the police department and became a religious preacher, Bhole Baba is presiding over several ashrams, the biggest of them in Mainpuri which was surrounded by police on Wednesday though it was not clear whether he was inside.
"I go to temples, gurdwara, mosques and churches. I reach wherever I am called from. And if I am not called, I don't go," he says in one of the videos of his sermons and claims is an incarnation of God.
Hathras Stampede Reason: FIR Says Over 2.5 Lakh People Gathered In The Event
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday lodged the FIR against the organisers of the religious congregation in Hathras, accusing them of hiding evidence and flouting conditions with 2.5 lakh people gathering for the event in which only 80,000 were permitted.
'Mukhya sevadar' Devprakash Madhukar and other organisers have been named in the first information report (FIR) filed at the Sikandar Rau police station late Tuesday, a senior officer told PTI.
In his FIR, complainant Brijesh Pandey said the 'satsang' programme of the baba was organised between Fulrai and Mugalgarhi on GT road in Sikandar Rau area by Devprakash Madhukar and others on Tuesday.
The organisers sought permission for about 80,000 people for which police and administration made arrangements.
However, over 2.5 lakh people gathered in the event. By not following the conditions of the permission, GT road witnessed traffic jam and police and administration officials were working to clear it, the FIR said.
Meanwhile, the baba, who was the main speaker of the satsang came out at about 2 pm in his vehicle and devotees started collecting mud from the site as a memento.
Due to the heavy rush of devotees, those who had bent to pick the mud started getting trampled.
Those running out from the spot were stopped by stick-wielding helpers of the baba standing on the other side of a three-feet deep field filled with water and slush due to which women, children and men got crushed, it said.
‘Anti-Social Elements’ Behind Hathras Stampede
A lawyer representing Bhole Baba claimed Wednesday that "anti-social elements" were behind the stampede and contradicted preliminary reports that the tragedy struck when his followers rushed to collect the soil touched by his feet.
"Some anti-social elements hatched a conspiracy. When Narayan Saakar Hari left the venue, his vehicles left, our volunteers and followers failed to understand what was happening due to the conspiracy. This was done as per a plan and should be investigated," lawyer A P Singh told PTI.
Singh said Bhole Baba is also ready to cooperate with the state administration and the police probing Tuesday's stampede and has demanded an investigation into the entire matter.
Asked about the claims made in the FIR and a preliminary report made by the local sub-divisional magistrate, the Supreme Court lawyer denied the charges and said, "Narayan Saakar Hari never lets followers touch his feet. The mention of the 'charan raj' is also false. There is no video or picture of such an act."
Bhole Baba Arrested In 2000 For Claiming To Revive Dead Girl
In his native village Bahadurnagar in Kasganj district, locals say Baba is more than 60 years of age and does not have any children.
They said he had adopted a girl, who died around 16-17 years back. Baba had kept her body at home for two days hoping she would come alive, they claimed
The police had to intervene and the girl was cremated thereafter, the locals claimed.
Furthermore, FIR details, accessed by India Today reveal Baba's arrest in 2000 as he faced charges under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, for claiming to possess magical powers to resurrect his adopted daughter.
Six others were also arrested after his followers allegedly caused a disturbance at a cremation ground.
(With PTI Inputs)
