Hathras: On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, a rush broke out at a religious gathering, leaving victims outside the Trauma Centre. Officials report that the rush resulted in at least 27 deaths and several injuries.
The primary suspect in the July 2 Hathras satsang stampede, Devprakash Madhukar, was detained from Delhi by Uttar Pradesh Police on suspicion that self-styled godman Bhole Baba’s events were “funded” by a political party. The police stated Madhukar had lately been contacted by certain political organisations.
According to the police, two more suspects—Ramprakash Shakya, 61, and Sanju Yadav, 33—were being held in Hathras in relation to the stampede that claimed 121 lives.
Hathras police’s Special Operations Group detained 42-year-old Madhukar from the Najafgarh neighbourhood of Delhi late on Friday, according to Hathras Superintendent of Police Nipun Agarwal.
According to the officer, Madhukar raised money and solicited donations for the events of self-proclaimed godman Surajpal, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as Bhole Baba. He stated that the police would like to remand Madhukar.
“His financial transactions and money trails are being looked into, and call detail records are also being checked,” Agarwal stated.
But Madhukar’s attorney, A P Singh, had stated on Friday night that he had turned himself in to the Delhi police, where he had gone to receive medical attention.
In the midst of heightened security surrounding the government hospital on Saturday at 2:15 p.m., Madhukar was taken by the police to the Bagla Combined District Hospital in Hathras for a medical checkup.
Madhukar had a stole knotted around his head and a cloth covering his face.
The “mukhya sevadar” of the satsang where the stampede took place was Madhukar. In the police report filed at the Sikandra Rao police station in Hathras regarding the event, he is the only listed culprit.
According to Agarwal, the inquiry also showed that he had previously been contacted by a few political parties.
“A thorough inquiry into the fund-raising process is underway to see whether political parties are funding these programmes and other resources. According to the results of the inquiry thus far, it seems that they are associated with a political party for both personal and political reasons,” the policeman stated.
“All the bank accounts, movable and immovable properties, money trail, related to the accused Devprakash Madhukar are being investigated, in which assistance will be taken from other agencies as per the need,” he stated.
Following his initial interrogation, the accused Madhukar told the IPS officer that he had been employed by MNREGA in the Etah district since 2010 as a junior engineer under contract. He organises activities and raises money for the group that belongs to Bhole Baba and has been involved with it for many years.
“Madhukar obtained permission for the July 2 satsang programme in Fulrai village, and he was the primary planner of the event. Consequently, Madhukar’s dual roles as chief organiser and money raiser have emerged,” he continued.
According to Agarwal, the barricading, entrance and exit gates, seating arrangements, parking, and other amenities surrounding the satsang pandal were “fully responsible” for the accused and the sevadars/organising committee members operating under his supervision.
“Madhukar and other sevadars stopped any intrusion from the police administration within the event venue. His sevadars, commandos dressed in various costumes, were handling all the arrangements at the event place’, he claimed.
“Videography and photos were not permitted at the location. As a result, some requirements outlined in the administration’s authorization letter were broken, which had an impact on the traffic system, among other things, and the arrangements were not completed correctly, according to the SP.
The assertion by Madhukar’s attorney that he had turned himself in ahead of the police is refuted by the police’s announcement on Saturday regarding the SOG.
“We had stated that since we had done nothing illegal, we would not request anticipatory bail. What crime have we committed? He is both a cardiac sufferer and an engineer. Doctors have stated that his condition is stable, so we turned ourselves in today to assist with the investigation,” the attorney stated.
Singh stated that while the police may now interview him or record his statement, they must ensure that “nothing wrong happens with him” and take into account his health.
“We did not do anything like filing anticipatory bail or moving court which would have been viewed as an effort to save ourselves and being scared… questions were being raised about his (Madhukar’s) whereabouts and if he had run away,” he stated.
He said Madhukar will participate in the investigation and provide details regarding the “anti-social elements” present during the function.
A reward of Rs 1 lakh had been issued by the Uttar Pradesh Police for information that resulted in Madhukar’s apprehension.
On July 3, the Supreme Court lawyer had claimed that he also represents Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba, the self-styled godman at whose satsang the stampede occurred, and that some “anti-social elements” were behind the tragedy.
Singh had stated that Surajpal had requested a probe into the whole situation and was prepared to assist the police and state administration.
Six persons had been detained in connection with the matter as of Thursday, two of them were female volunteers who belonged to the Bhole Baba satsang organising committee.
Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant), and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) were the subjects of a FIR filed on July 2.
A three-person judicial commission led by a senior high court judge was established by the Uttar Pradesh government on July 3 to investigate the Hathras tragedy and consider the possibility that there was a conspiracy behind the stampede.