Following the stampede at his “satsang” in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras a few days ago, which resulted in the death of 121 people earlier this week, Bhole Baba, the former constable-turned-self-styled godman, expressed his sorrow over the incident. He said he is “deeply saddened” by the loss of lives, conveying his condolences and sympathy to the grieving families.
“May God give us the strength to bear this pain. Please keep faith in the Government and the administration. I have faith that anyone who created the chaos would not be spared. Through my lawyer AP Singh, I have requested the members of the committee to stand with the bereaved families and the injured and help them throughout their lives,” said Bhole Baba in a video statement.
Meanwhile, Devprakash Madhukar, the key accused in the July 2 Hathras stampede, was on Saturday sent to 14-day judicial custody by a magistrate court, officials said.
Besides, Sanju Yadav, another suspect who has been arrested in connection with the case, was also sent to jail for the same duration, they said. Earlier in the day, Hathras Superintendent of Police Nipun Agarwal told reporters that the police would apply in the court to get the remand of Madhukar and other suspects.
“Devprakash Madhukar and Sanju Yadav were produced before the judicial magistrate’s court today and both were sent in judicial remand for 14 days,” Assistant Prosecution Officer Uma Shankar Yadav told reporters.
The APO said Ramprakash Shakya, who too has been arrested in the stampede case, would be produced in the court on Sunday since he was arrested after Madhukar and Yadav and has some police formalities pending. Madhukar was arrested from Delhi’s Najafgarh area late on Friday night by a Special Operations Group of the Hathras police.
Shakya and Yadav were arrested on Saturday from Hathras, according to police.
Madhukar is the only named accused in the FIR, which also mentions as accused “several other unidentified organisers” of the satsang.
The stampede after a satsang of self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba left 121 people, mostly women, dead.
