Baba Narayan Hari is likely to be arrested soon after at least 116 people died in a stampede at his ‘satsang’ (religious congregation) in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras on Tuesday.
The self-styled godman, whose original name is Suraj Pal and is also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, is believed to be at his ‘ashram’ in Mainpuri, about 100 km from near the Phulrai village, where he held the event attended by thousands of devotees.
Many senior police officials have reached the Hathras stampede site, while others are at his ashram, the Ram Kutir Charitable Trust. Besides police personnel, an NDTV team at the ashram also saw his devotees gathering in large numbers.
In Hathras, a forensic unit and a dog squad are at the stampede site. Teams of the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are also present.
How Hathras Stampede Happened
Police said the place where the Hathras stampede took place was too small to accommodate the crowd that had gathered there. A woman who attended the ‘satsang’ said the stampede broke out as the crowd began to leave.
Sources said devotees were stopped from leaving until the self-styled guru’s car left, causing a big crowd build-up in a small area.
Devotees had come to the ‘satsang’ from various districts of Uttar Pradesh as well as neighboring states.
Case Against Hathras Satsang Organisers
A case has been filed against the ‘satsang organisers’ in Hathras, officials said.
According to the FIR, permission was granted for 80,000 people but more than 2.5 lakh devotees attended the event.
They have been charged under sections 105, 110, 126 (2), 223, and 238 of the new criminal code Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A high-level committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
The panel will be headed by the Additional Director General of Police, Agra, and the Aligarh Commissioner, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said.
At least 116 people, including 106 women and seven children, were killed in the Hathras stampede. The Uttar Pradesh government said most of the 116 people who died in the stampede have been identified.
A compensation of Rs 2 lakh each has been announced for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed their condolences to the families of those who were killed.
Godman Behind Hathras ‘Satsang’
Self-styled guru Narayan Saakar Hari has often claimed that he has worked with the Intelligence Bureau. He also told his devotees that he was inclined towards spirituality even when he was working and had resigned in the 1990s to pursue the spiritual path.
Born in Bahadur Nagari village in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district to a farmer, Nanne Lal, and Katori Devi, he completed his initial studies in the village.
He was reportedly a head constable with the Local Intelligence Unit of the UP police. He left his police job in 1999 and then changed his name to Narayan Saakar Hari.
He claims he began working for the Intelligence Bureau after college and turned towards spirituality during his time there.
Hathras Stampede Helpline Numbers
The Uttar Pradesh government has launched two helpline numbers — 05722227041 and 05722227042 — after the Hathras stampede incident.
