A stampede at the Bhole Baba Satsang in Phulrai village, within the Sikandrarao police station area of Hathras district, claimed the lives of 107 individuals. Authorities transported the deceased to Etah Medical College for post-mortem examinations. The satsang event, held in Rati Bhanpur near the Hathras-Etah border, drew over 50,000 attendees from Mathura, Agra, Firozabad, and Etah.
Aligarh Commissioner Chaitra V reported that 107 people died in the stampede.
The massive crowd gathered to listen to the revered Saint Bhole Baba. However, severe heat and humidity inside the pandal resulted in a stampede, worsened by delays in the arrival of police and ambulance services.
Who Is Bhole Baba
Bhole Baba, also known as Suraj Pal, the religious preacher who led the congregation in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, where a stampede tragically claimed at least 107 lives on Tuesday, had served with the state police for 18 years before resigning from his job and transitioning into his new role.
Bhole Baba is not a Brahmin but a Jatav who was serving Pakhand of Manawtawadi Dharma. This is how he was delivering his sermon to his followers.
Still, many people on social media are blaming Brahmins for this unfortunate incident. It is the time to help the victims rather than… pic.twitter.com/8fbZYFXZvw
— Shubham Sharma (@Shubham_fd) July 2, 2024
Baba, known widely as ‘Sakar Vishwa Hari Baba’, appears exclusively in public wearing white clothes and frequently attends sermons with his wife.
Also Read: Tragedy In Hathras: Stampede At Religious Event Claims 100 Lives, Including 3 Children
Most of his followers come from the lower economic strata in the Agra and Aligarh divisions of the Braj region.
Baba claims direct teachings from the Almighty. Rumors suggest that he has over three lakh followers on Facebook. Various MPs and MLAs reportedly attend his ‘satsangs’, which are predominantly held on Tuesdays.
Men dressed in pinkish shirts and pants with white caps actively manage traffic and internal arrangements at Baba’s congregations.
Initial reports indicated that the stampede on Tuesday began shortly after women devotees rushed out of the venue following the afternoon satsang.
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