The Uttar Pradesh police announced on Thursday that six individuals, including two women and four men, have been arrested in connection with the tragic stampede in Hathras that resulted in 121 deaths. The arrested individuals are identified as ‘Sevadars’ (Satsang volunteers), according to the police.
Additionally, the police have issued a ₹1 lakh bounty for the capture of the main suspect, Prakash Madhukar.
“When the stampede occurred, the six servitors who have now been arrested fled the scene. A ₹1 lakh reward is being offered for the arrest of the main accused, Prakash Madhukar. A non-bailable warrant will soon be issued against him. We are also investigating whether this incident was a result of a conspiracy,” stated IG (Aligarh Range) Shalabh Mathur during a press conference.
Mathur revealed that the event organizers did not permit police presence as they preferred to manage the arrangements themselves.
“We have issued a non-bailable warrant against the accused. The Satsang volunteers were found to be negligent and failed to manage the crowd properly after the Satsang ended. As the situation escalated, they absconded. We are also investigating potential conspiracy angles,” Mathur explained.
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The tragic event occurred on Tuesday when thousands gathered at a specially erected tent in Rati Bhanpur village in the Sikandra Rau area of Hathras district for a ‘Satsang,’ a religious event led by preacher Bhole Baba. Police suggest that severe overcrowding, insufficient exits, adverse weather conditions, and other factors might have contributed to the high death toll.
On Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh police filed an FIR against the event organizers, accusing them of concealing evidence and violating conditions, as 2.5 lakh people attended an event meant for only 80,000. However, Bhole Baba, the organizer of the ‘Satsang’ which led to the stampede, has not been named in the FIR.
According to IG Mathur, Bhole Baba’s name is absent from the FIR because the event’s permission was not sought under his name.
“However, Bhole Baba will be interrogated if necessary, depending on the investigation’s progress. We are also looking into reports of his criminal past,” the police added.
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