Three more arrested over stampede that led to 121 deaths at Indian religious event
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A total of nine people have now been arrested in connection with a stampede at a Hindu religious event on July 2 in India.
PHOTO: AFP
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Indian police have arrested three more people in connection with a stampede at a Hindu religious event
A total of nine people have now been arrested in connection with the July 2 event, which took place in the Hathras district of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
While organisers had permission from the local authorities to accommodate 80,000 people for an hour-long prayer meeting with self-styled Hindu preacher Bhole Baba, about 250,000 devotees had turned up at the venue – a padi field in Phulrai village next to a highway.
Hathras police said that the preacher’s aide, Dev Prakash Madhukar, who was named as the prime suspect in a police report lodged after the stampede, was arrested on the night of July 5, the Hindustan Times reported. He was remanded to 14 days in judicial custody by a court in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the Hindustan Times, Madhukar had obtained permission for the religious congregation from the authorities.
Locals say all major activities of Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari or Suraj Pal Singh, were managed in Hathras by Madhukar and other close aides, the Hindustan Times reported.
Hathras Police Superintendent Nipun Agarwal was quoted as saying: “Madhukar had been on the run since July 2.
“He will be questioned in detail about his links with Baba, and information about other core members of the organising committee will also be gathered.”
The police had previously announced a reward of 100,000 rupees (S$1,600) for Madhukar’s arrest.
Mr A.P. Singh, the preacher’s lawyer, said Madhukar had surrendered to the police, The Indian Express reported.
“Madhukar is a heart patient and was undergoing treatment in Delhi. After doctors said that his condition is okay, we got him handed over to the police,” Mr Singh was quoted as saying.
According to Hathras police, Madhukar revealed during interrogations that he and other organisers of these religious congregations had been contacted by some political parties, The Indian Express reported.
The police added that they are conducting investigations into the collection of funds during these events to find out whether such programmes are funded by any political party.
The Hindustan Times quoted Supt Agarwal as saying: “His (Madhukar’s) financial transactions, money trails are being looked into, and call detail records are also being checked.”
Following Madhukar’s arrest, two more people, Ramprakash Shakya and Sanju Yadav, were nabbed in Hathras on July 6, The Indian Express reported.
The police did not clearly state if any action will be taken against Bhole Baba, The Indian Express reported.
An initial police report said the stampede broke out on the afternoon of July 2 when attendees were exiting the canopied ground by the highway, Reuters reported.
Several people ran towards the preacher’s vehicle but were stopped by his aides, officials said. In the commotion that ensued, some fell to the ground and were trampled on.
Others who tried to run to open fields to escape the chaos slipped and fell on the uneven ground, and were unable to get up.
Mr Singh said Bhole Baba never asked anyone to touch his feet or gave anyone the dust touched by his feet, Reuters reported, countering media reports that cited these as reasons for people running towards his vehicle.
