On a sweltering afternoon in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, what was billed as a peaceful religious congregation spiraled into a horrific stampede, claiming 121 lives and injuring more than 150. The event, hosted by self-styled godman Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari, has triggered a wave of outrage and unanswered questions about crowd control, administrative negligence, and the preacher's conspicuous absence from accountability.
The official permit was granted for a gathering of 40,000. Yet, over one lakh people descended upon the Satsang grounds—more than double the sanctioned number. Despite such a glaring violation, no real-time action was taken by the district administration to limit or manage the inflow. The result? A deadly surge as devotees pushed forward to touch Bhole Baba’s feet. Some, failing to reach him, reportedly bent down to scoop the dust beneath his feet—an act of spiritual fervor that quickly devolved into deadly chaos.
Multiple narratives have emerged, but the common thread is clear: a complete collapse of crowd management protocols. The venue lacked basic infrastructure like regulated entry/exit points, barricades, or medical aid stations. Moreover, no clear evacuation plan was in place despite the anticipated turnout being significantly larger than approved.
But what raised the most eyebrows was the godman’s response—or lack thereof. Bhole Baba fled the venue moments after the stampede, leaving behind a sea of bodies and chaos. Days passed, and there was no public statement, no condolence, no remorse. Even the FIR filed post-tragedy fails to name him, raising serious concerns about administrative shielding and political patronage.
Who is Bhole Baba? Born Suraj Pal, he served briefly as a constable before quitting the police force in 1990 to begin preaching. His rise in the Braj-Aligarh region has been meteoric, thanks to an expanding digital presence and the promise of divine healing. To his devotees, he is a saint. To investigators, he may soon be a person of interest.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced ₹2 lakh in compensation to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured, but the gesture has done little to soothe public anger. Hathras, already infamous for lapses in law and order, is woefully unequipped to handle such disasters. The injured were shifted to hospitals in neighboring districts due to a lack of facilities.
Helpline numbers (05722227041 and 05722227042) have been issued, but they remain a drop in the ocean compared to the scale of the tragedy.
A Cold-Hearted Defence
On July 18, nearly three weeks later, Bhole Baba finally emerged from hiding. His message to grieving families? “What happened was destined to happen… one who enters the world will eventually leave.” With no sign of accountability, he even floated an unsubstantiated theory involving a "poisonous spray"—a claim not backed by any initial medical reports or eyewitness accounts.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has now been constituted. But questions persist:
- Why was no action taken when the crowd clearly surpassed permitted limits?
- Why did the preacher flee?
- Why is his name not in the FIR?
- Who will answer for the 121 lives lost?
The answers, for now, remain as elusive as the godman himself.