Bhole Baba’s lawyer denied the allegation that the stampede occurred due to devotees rushing to touch the preacher’s feet.
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A day after the Hathras stampede, preacher Bhole Baba’s lawyer claimed on Wednesday that the incident was caused by a conspiracy orchestrated by anti-social elements. He also denied the claim that the stampede occurred due to devotees rushing to touch the preacher’s feet.
10 Key Points on the Hathras Tragedy:
- A preliminary government report suggests the stampede occurred when many followers rushed toward Baba Narayan Hari, also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, to collect his “charan raj,” the soil around his feet.
- Bhole Baba’s lawyer, AP Singh, contended that the stampede was the result of a conspiracy by anti-social elements. He claimed that confusion ensued when Narayan Saakar Hari left the venue, and volunteers and followers were unable to understand the situation due to the conspiracy.
- Singh stated that his client would fully cooperate with the state administration and the police.
- The preliminary report was authored by a sub-divisional magistrate. Singh refuted the report, asserting that Bhole Baba never allowed anyone to touch his feet and that the claim of “charan raj” was false, with no video or photographic evidence to support it.
- Bhole Baba has not been named as an accused in the FIR filed regarding the incident.
- Police confirmed that Bhole Baba was not present at his ashram in Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri during the stampede. Mainpuri DSP Sunil Kumar stated that 40-50 volunteers were present in the ashram, but Bhole Baba was not there.
- According to the preliminary report, devotees rushed to seek blessings and collect soil from around the preacher’s feet but were stopped by security personnel, leading to pushing and several people falling to the ground, causing chaos.
- Some people ran towards a nearby muddy field, where they fell and were trampled by other devotees, according to the report.
- An FIR has been filed against Devprakash Madhukar, referred to as ‘Mukhya Sewadar’, under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He is the main organizer of the religious event.
- Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has established a three-member judicial commission to ensure a transparent investigation into the Hathras stampede. The panel, led by retired Allahabad High Court judge Brijesh Kumar Srivastava, will investigate various aspects of the tragedy over the next two months.