Self-styled Godman Breaks Silence on Hathras Stampede; Main Accused Surrenders

Bhole Baba expressed deep sorrow over the Hathras stampede tragedy and vowed that those responsible would be held accountable. Meanwhile, main accused Devprakash Madhukar surrendered to authorities. A three-member Judicial Inquiry Commission has been constituted to probe the incident.

Self-styled godman Suraj Pal Singh, known as "Bhole Baba," broke his silence on Saturday regarding the Hathras stampede that resulted in the deaths of 121 people, primarily women and children. In a video statement, Singh vowed that those responsible for the chaos would not go unpunished. The tragedy occurred earlier this week during a 'Satsang' in Fulari village, Hathras district.

Expressing his sorrow, Singh said, "I am deeply saddened by 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 have faith that those who created the chaos will not be spared." He mentioned that through his lawyer, AP Singh, he had asked the committee members to support the bereaved families and the injured.

Meanwhile, the main accused, Devprakash Madhukar, surrendered to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Special Task Force (STF), and Uttar Pradesh police. His lawyer, AP Singh, confirmed the surrender in a video statement. Singh stated, "Dev Prakash Madhukar, named in the FIR, was the main organizer. We have handed him over to the SIT and the Uttar Pradesh Police. Now, a thorough investigation can be conducted. His health should be taken care of as he is a heart patient."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the victims' families in Hathras and also stopped in Aligarh to offer condolences. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. A three-member Judicial Inquiry Commission, led by Justice (retd) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava, has been formed to investigate and ensure transparency.

The Judicial Commission will submit its findings within two months. Initial reports suggest the stampede began when devotees, eager to seek blessings and collect soil from around Singh's feet, were deterred by security personnel, leading to a deadly push and chaos. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)