Who Is Bhole Baba? Peacher From Hathras Stampede Gives Statement

In a tragic incident that has created shockwaves through the nation, about 121 people died in a stampede in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. On July 2, a religious event or satsang was organised in Phulrai village for the sermon of self-styled godman, Narayan Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba. While Bhole Baba received VVIP treatment, the attendees were doomed to tragedy due to the alleged lack of proper entry exits and emergency facilities. Among those who lost their lives were mostly women and children. Many have been admitted to the hospital due to grave injuries. 

Police have filed a case against a close aide of the 'godman' Bhole Baba, - who headlined the 'prayer meet' and the event organizers. As per the permission from the police, only 80,000 people were supposed to gather. However, 2.5 lakh people attended the satsang. The stampede was created when people were returning to their homes. Out of 27 bodies sent to the hospital, 23 were women. 

Bhole Baba, who was missing for days after the incident, has finally appeared and given an on-camera statement about the tragedy. "I have faith that anyone who created the chaos would not be spared. Through my lawyer AP Singh, I have requested the members of the committee to stand with the bereaved families and the injured and help them throughout their lives," he said, speaking to Asian News International.

But who is Bhole Baba, the leader of the satsang? 

Suraj Pal Singh, known to his followers as Bhole Baba, was born in Bahadur Nagari village in Uttar Pradesh's Etah district to a farmer. He joined UP police and was a head constable working with the Intelligence Unit for over 18 years. However, his followers say he has also claimed that he worked for the Intelligence Bureau.

#WATCH | Hathras Stampede Accident | Mainpuri, UP: In a video statement, Surajpal also known as 'Bhole Baba' says, "... I am deeply saddened after the incident of July 2. May God give us the strength to bear this pain. Please keep faith in the government and the administration. I… pic.twitter.com/7HSrK2WNEM

— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2024

In 1999, he took voluntary retirement from the service and became a Godman two decades ago. He said that he had a divine intervention after leaving his job. So he started organizing religious gatherings or satsang sabhas. He conducts these events every Tuesday at different places. He has a huge following not only in Uttar Pradesh but also in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. 

Baba has sparked controversy before also

Being surrounded by controversies is not new to Bhole Baba. In 2022, he held a similar satsang in UP's Farrukhabad even as cases of Covid were on the rise. While the district administration only permitted 50 people to attend the event over 50,000 people reached the site to attend the programme. The large crowd led to the significant traffic snarls in the area.