Hathras Stampede: Police Files FIR against Organizers

The Uttar Pradesh Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) on Wednesday against the organizers of a religious congregation in Hathras, where a stampede resulted in the deaths of 121 people.

‘Mukhya sevadar’ Devprakash Madhukar and other organizers have been named in the FIR, which was filed at the Sikandara Rao police station late Tuesday, according to a senior officer. The FIR includes charges under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant), and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence).

The victims were among thousands who had gathered near Phulrai village in the Sikandrarau area for a ‘satsang’ conducted by religious preacher Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari, also known as Bhole Baba. Bhole Baba, a self-styled preacher, was previously known as Suraj Pal Singh, a constable with the Uttar Pradesh police. Sources indicate that Singh, 58, is from a Dalit family in Bahadur Nagar village of Kasganj district, about 65 km from Hathras, where the stampede occurred.

The stampede happened around 3:30 pm as Baba was leaving the venue.

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