Hathras Stampede: 6 ‘Satsang’ Organisers Held; Rs 1 lakh Bounty on Main Accused

LUCKNOW:
Six people have been arrested in connection with the stampede in UP’s Hathras district during a religious discourse on Tuesday that left 121 people dead.

Aligarh Range Inspector General (IG) Shalabh Mathur told reporters on Thursday, “Six people, including four men and two women, have been arrested in connection with the incident. They are all members of the organising committee and worked as ‘Sevadars’.”

‘Mukhya Sevadar’ Dev Prakash Madhukar has been identified as the main accused in the FIR. The police have announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest.

A total of 121 persons, mostly women, died while 31 others were injured in the stampede at the ‘Satsang’ conducted by self-styled godman Narayan Sakaar Hari or ‘Bhole Baba’ in Hathras on Tuesday.

Mathur said the stampede occurred as people ran after the preacher’s convoy to touch the dust under his feet, adding that a conspiracy angle in the incident would be probed.

Replying to a query, the IG said that so far, the role of the preacher in the incident has not been established.