Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari, the religious preacher whose 'Satsang' led to the stampede that claimed the lives of over 100 people on Tuesday, served in the state police for 18 years before quitting his job and taking up this new role.
His real name is Surajpal and he is a native of Kasaganj district's Bahadur Nagar, a retired IPS officer said. Meanwhile, Circlo Officer (CO) of Patiyali Vijay Kumar Rana told news agency PTI that the Baba left his policeman job in the late 1990s and turned towards the spiritual line.
Baba also, reportedly told his 'devotees' that his inclination towards spirituality led him to pursue this path. His popularity grew with time, attracting thousands of followers.
Track | Hathras Stampede LIVE Updates: 116 Dead In Mishap At 'Satsang', More Casualties Feared
Born in Bahadur Nagari village in Uttar Pradesh's Etah district, Baba began giving sermons and organising 'Satsangs' for his followers after resigning from the UP Police's local intelligence unit.
CO Rana said that one of the three brothers of the Baba had died and he set up a Trust and appointed a caretaker for his property in Bahadurgarh, where his ashram is located.
More popular as 'Sakar Vishwa Hari Baba', he is mostly seen wearing white clothes and often accompanied by his wife at these events, Hindustan Times reported. Baba belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community and has no children.
The major demography of Bhole Baba's following comes from Agra and Braj region's Aligarh division, that too from among the lower economic strata.
He claims to not be a follower of any 'guru', saying that he was preached directly by the God. Reportedly, he enjoys a following of over three lakh people on the Meta platform of Facebook.
His 'satsangs' -- mostly organised on Tuesdays -- are believed to be attended by MPs and MLAs as well. Notably, none of his personal details or information about his sermons and satsangs are publicised, given the popularity that he enjoys.
At his religious congregations, Baba's men clad in pink-tone shirts and pants, along with white caps, are mostly seen managing the arrangements and traffic at the site.
WHAT LED TO THE STAMPEDE?
Prima facie it was said that the stampede occurred due to suffocation, said Inspector General Aligarh Range Shalabh Mathur. Reportedly, the hot and humid weather made the attendees feel uncomfortable, prompting them to rush of the enclosure as soon as the 'satsang' ended, resulting in the stampede.
Several women and children lost their lives in the deadly incident that took place in Hathras.
A teenager undergoing treatment in Etah's district hospital, said that people were wanting to leave the space and were in a hurry. "There was no other way out and people fell on each other leading to the stampede," she was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Sikandra Rao police station's SHO -- Ashish Kumar -- said that the stampede took place due to overcrowding.
The teenage, Jyoti, remembered how when she was trying to exit the enclosure, there were parked motorcycles that were blocked her way. "Many people fainted, others died," she added.
Aligarh Range IG said that Bhole Baba had sought all permissions required to hold the religious congregation.
