“May God give us the strength…”: Bhole Baba Expresses Sorrow Over Hathras Tragedy, Calls for Faith in Judiciary

Suraj Pal Singh, also known as 'Bhole Baba', expressed sorrow over the Hathras stampede incident that claimed 121 lives during his 'satsang' in Uttar Pradesh. In a video statement, he conveyed his condolences to the affected families and urged them to place their trust in the judiciary. "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,” said Singh.

Bhole Baba assured support for the victims through a committee, stating through his 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." His gathering far exceeded authorized limits, and authorities had sought his cooperation since the tragic event.

"The main accused, Dev Prakash Madhukar, surrendered to Delhi police and was subsequently taken into custody by Uttar Pradesh Police," said Singh, addressing Madhukar's arrest in connection with the stampede. Madhukar, accused of negligence leading to the stampede, surrendered voluntarily. His lawyer, AP Singh stated that they would not apply for anticipatory bail as his client did nothing wrong.

The Uttar Pradesh government swiftly formed a judicial commission to probe the incident. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was briefed on initial findings from a Special Investigation Team (SIT), including testimonies from local officials involved in rescue efforts. The incident, triggered during a mass gathering where attendees surged to collect dust, has prompted a broader review of safety protocols during large religious gatherings.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, visited Hathras to meet with victims' families, advocating for prompt compensation and legislative measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. Gandhi, after meeting the families, urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to release "maximum compensation" without delay.