“Mukhya Sevadar,” Prime Suspect In Hathras Stampede Incident, Detained

The main accused in Hathras stampede event has been arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday. Dev Prakash Madhukar is the key accused in horrific incident at religious congregation that claimed 121 lives, mostly women.

Madhukar, the ‘Mukhya Sevadar” at ashram was named as main accused by police. Before the arrest police had announced a reward of 1 lakh rupees for information about his whereabout.

The police apprehended six individuals in relation to the stampede one day prior to the arrest of Madhukar. Each of them belonged to the group that organized the Satsang.

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On July 2, at the satsang led by self-styled preacher and godman Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as “Bhole Baba,” there was a stampede.

Over 2.50 lakh individuals attended the assembly, despite the administration only allowing 80,000 people, according to the FIR.

The FIR claims that the organizers of the Satsang attempted to conceal the true attendance count by hiding evidence and discarding the godman’s followers’ slippers and other possessions in surrounding fields.

A stampede broke out as a number of followers hurried to gather dirt from the preacher’s feet. The followers believed that it would cure all of their illnesses. Witnesses described how individuals collapsed one upon another, their bodies resting atop one another.

Meanwhile, teams have been sent to cities where Narayan Sakar Hari may have criminal records in order to actively gather information about his past. Currently the “Mukhya Sevadar” is behind the bars but the FIR makes no mention of Narayan Sakar Hari by name.