Bhole Baba, originally known as Suraj Pal Singh, has expressed deep distress over the Hathras stampede incident, urging affected families to trust the judiciary. The stampede, which occurred on July 2, claimed 121 lives and has led to significant developments, including the surrender of the main accused, Dev Prakash Madhukar.
In a video statement, Bhole Baba conveyed his sorrow, stating, “I am deeply saddened after the incident. May God give us the strength to bear this pain. Please keep faith in the government and the administration. I have faith that anyone who created the chaos would not be spared.” He has also urged his lawyer, AP Singh, to support the bereaved families and the injured, ensuring they receive assistance throughout their lives.
Dev Prakash Madhukar, the ‘mukhya sevadar’ of the satsang where the stampede occurred, surrendered to the police in Delhi on Friday night. Following his surrender, Madhukar was taken into custody by the Uttar Pradesh Police and will be presented before a local court on Saturday. The Uttar Pradesh Police had previously announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to Madhukar’s arrest. He is the only accused named in the First Information Report (FIR) and is expected to join the investigation, providing details about the “anti-social elements” present at the event.
The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a three-member judicial commission, headed by a retired high court judge, to investigate the Hathras tragedy and explore the possibility of a conspiracy behind the stampede. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the incident has recorded statements from 90 people so far, according to SIT chief Anupam Kulshrestha. The scope of the investigation has expanded as new evidence has emerged, with the SIT focusing on preparing a comprehensive report on the incident. Kulshrestha emphasized that the “conspiracy angle” cannot be ruled out.
In Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath received an initial SIT report on the stampede. The confidential report, submitted by the ADG Agra Zone, includes statements from Hathras District Magistrate Ashish Kumar, Superintendent of Police Nipun Aggarwal, and senior health department officials involved in the emergency response.
On Friday, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, met with the families of the stampede victims in Hathras. Prior to this, Rahul Gandhi visited Aligarh to meet with the kin of other victims. After these meetings, Rahul Gandhi urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide “maximum compensation” for the victims without delay. He also assured the families that he would raise the issue in Parliament to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
