In a tragic turn of events, at least 116 people lost their lives during a stampede at a religious congregation led by Bhole Baba in Hathras on Tuesday. Despite the catastrophic outcome, Bhole Baba, the religious preacher who led the event, has not been named in the first information report (FIR) registered at Sikandra Rau police station.
The FIR, filed by Brijesh Pandey, includes charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder (Section 105), attempt to commit culpable homicide (Section 110), wrongful restraint (Section 126(2)), disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant (Section 223), and causing disappearance of evidence (Section 238). Devdas Madhukar, the head sevadar, along with other organizers, has been named in the FIR.
The FIR highlights a significant discrepancy between the expected and actual attendance at the event. Organizers had claimed that around 80,000 people would attend the satsang (religious congregation), but approximately 2.5 lakh followers gathered, leading to severe traffic congestion on the adjacent national highway. The religious event, which was supposed to end at 2 PM, saw an unexpected surge of devotees.
According to the FIR, chaos ensued when Bhole Baba’s convoy left the venue. Devotees rushed to collect “raj” (dust) from the ground where Bhole Baba or his car had passed. In the ensuing pandemonium, many devotees who were lying down to collect the dust were trampled. The situation was exacerbated by stick-wielding helpers of the preacher who stopped those trying to escape from a three-feet deep field filled with water and slush. This obstruction led to the tragic crushing of women, children, and men.
As the investigation continues, the absence of Bhole Baba’s name in the FIR has raised questions and concerns among the public and the victims’ families. The organizers’ responsibility and the administration’s preparedness for such a large gathering are under scrutiny.