Hathras stampede: Over 115 people were killed while several others were injured in a stampede at a religious congregation in a village in Hathras district on Tuesday (July 2), officials said. Among those deceased are mostly children, elderly and women. According to reports, the the satsang was organised at Narayan Sakar Hari's ashram in Fullerai village of Hathras. The venue was small, overcrowded, and the crowd became uncontrollable, leading to the stampede.
What led to the stampede in Hathras?
The satsang is said to have been organised by Saint Bhole Baba. A large number of people had gathered at the ashram in Ratibhanpur, near the Hathras-Etah border, to listen to Saint Bhole Baba's discourse. Due to the weather, there was extreme humidity and heat in the tent, which led to a chaotic situation and resulted in the deaths of a large number of people in the stampede.
Who is Narayan Hari or Bhole baba who quit his IB job?
The satsang where this incident occurred was conducted by Narayan Hari, also known as Bhole Baba, who is said to have connections with politics. Several prominent leaders from Uttar Pradesh have been seen on his stage on various occasions. Hari originally hails from Bahadur Nagari village in the Etah district of Uttar Pradesh where he completed his education. After finishing his studies, he claims to have joined the IB (Intelligence Bureau) and worked for a long time before turning towards spirituality. After entering spiritual life, he changed his name and became known as Narayan Sakar Hari.
Narayan Sakar Hari does not wear saffron robes or any distinct attire. He is often seen in a white suit, tie, and shoes, and sometimes in kurta-pajama. In his congregations, Sakar Hari often shares that his mind repeatedly gravitated towards spirituality during his job days. While still employed, he began serving devotees and eventually embarked on this path.
In the 1990s, Sakar Hari said he resigned from his government job and immersed himself in spirituality. Any donations, offerings, or contributions received during his congregations are not kept by him but are instead spent on the devotees.
Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as Sakar Vishva Hari or Bhole Baba, was born in Bahadur village in the Patiyali tehsil. He claims to be a former employee of the Intelligence Bureau (IB). It is claimed that 26 years ago, he left his government job to start giving religious discourses. Bhole Baba has millions of followers across India, including in western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi.
Multiple criminal cases filed against baba
Sources indicate that the accused Baba conducting the satsang in Hathras has several criminal cases registered against him. This satsang is reported to have been conducted by Saint Bhole Baba. A large number of people had gathered at the ashram in Ratibhanpur, near the Hathras-Etah border, to listen to Saint Bhole Baba's discourse.
Away from social media
Notably, in the age of the internet, he stays away from social media, unlike other monks and storytellers. Bhole Baba does not have any official account on any platform. Alleged devotees claim that Narayan Sakar Hari, or Bhole Baba, has a significant number of followers at the grassroots level.
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