Hathras stampede: ‘Bhole Baba’ claimed he could revive dead, was arrested in 2000

Hathras stampede: ‘Bhole Baba’ claimed he could revive dead, was arrested in 2000

 

Hathras stampede: ‘Bhole Baba’ claimed he could revive dead, was arrested in 2000; toll at 121

Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari or ‘Bhole Baba’, the local preacher who addressed the ‘satsang’ in Hathras where the stampede occurred on Tuesday — the toll rose to 121 on Wednesday — is revered by his followers who believe he’s a “healer” with “cures”, an “exorcist” who “gets rid of evil spirits”, and a “godman” with “magical powers” who can grant their wishes.

In fact, his alleged claim of “magical powers” even got him arrested in Agra in 2000, when he allegedly took the body of a 16-year-old girl forcibly from her family, claiming he would bring her back to life. The case was later closed.

Over more than two decades now, after leaving the Uttar Pradesh Police in the 1990s where he was Constable Suraj Pal from Kasganj, to become a self-styled religious preacher, he has gathered a considerable following — mostly low-income Dalit families, where the men are employed as labourers, masons, agricultural labourers, safai karmacharis, carpenters or carpet-sellers, many of whom were witness to his rising popularity.

Many said what drew them to ‘Bhole Baba’, also from a Dalit family, was that he did not seek any offerings. "Baba neither takes nor asks for anything. In satsang, he teaches us not to lie and not to eat meat, fish, eggs and alcohol," said Urmila Devi, who attended the satsang with her sister, Taramati. Taramati, a widow, was among the injured. Both sisters live in Mathura. This was Taramati's fourth time attending a satsang where "Bhole Baba" speaks and this time she had asked her sister to attend. Most of the women devotees, like the two sisters, are between 40 and 70 years old. "When the satsang was over, Bhole Baba said, 'Aaj praley aayegi, aur phir praley aa gayi' (today is the day of judgement and he was right)," Taramati said from her hospital bed.

According to residents of Donkeri village in Hathras district, "Bhole Baba" has 10-12 sevadals (core devotees) in each village. "They come and inform the villagers about the satsang and drop them to the venue in their cars and buses," the villager said. Many of his devotees wear yellow medallions with his picture around their necks.

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July 04, 2024 at 03:43PM