Tragic Stampede at Bhole Baba's Sermon in Hathras Claims Over 100 Lives

A deadly stampede during a religious congregation led by Bhole Baba in Hathras resulted in over 100 fatalities. Bhole Baba, also known as Surajpal, is a former policeman who turned into a spiritual preacher. The tragedy unfolded as people rushed to get a glimpse of him after the event.

A stampede during a religious congregation led by Bhole Baba in Hathras turned deadly on Tuesday, claiming over 100 lives. The event was held by Baba Narayan Hari, alias Saakar Vishwa Hari 'Bhole Baba', formerly a policeman who became a religious preacher two decades ago and amassed a significant following, particularly in western Uttar Pradesh.

According to Circle Officer Vijay Kumar Rana, Bhole Baba, originally named Surajpal, left his police job in the late 1990s to pursue spirituality. He established his reputation through 'satsang' or religious sermons and set up a Trust for his property in Bahadurgarh. Surajpal belongs to the Scheduled Caste community and has gained popularity among the underprivileged sections of society.

The tragedy occurred as devotees tried to catch a glimpse of Bhole Baba and collect soil from around his feet as the event ended. District Magistrate Ashish Kumar disclosed that while the satsang was a private function authorized by the sub-divisional magistrate, the local administration provided external security, with internal arrangements handled by the event organizers.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)