Hathras Stampede: Key accused sent to 14-day judicial custody, father says he ‘doesn’t believe in Bhole baba…’

Two people — including key accused Devprakash Madhukar — were remanded in judicial custody on Saturday in connection with the Hathras stampede. More than 120 people were killed earlier this week during a 'satsang' for self-styled godman Suraj Pal Singh, or 'Bhole Baba' in Fulari village. Madhukar however told the court that he had secured written permission from the SDM for a gathering of 80,000 people.

 "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.

According to officials, Madhukar worked as a fundraiser for events of self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba and collected donations. The police are now looking into his financial transactions and money trails as well as call records.

“He only organised the satsang…and it was not his fault... However, I don't believe in him (Bhole Baba),” his father Tej Pratap told PTI on Saturday. 

More than 120 people were killed on July 2 as the religious event went awry in Hathras. The incident has also sparked an outcry in Opposition ranks with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav calling for a judicial inquiry. The former Chief Minister claimed on Saturday that the UP government wanted to shirk its responsibility for the deaths in the Hathras stampede incident by making minor and unrelated arrests.

“The government and administration are needlessly arresting people who were away from the original venue with a specific motive and is preparing to hold them guilty after the arrest. These arrests are a conspiracy in themselves. There should be an immediate judicial inquiry into these arrests so that the game of the BJP government of UP can be exposed before the public,” he added.

Madhukar is believed to be the 'mukhya sevadar' of the satsang and the only accused named in the FIR lodged at Sikandra Rao police station in Hathras. According to Hathras Superintendent of Police Nipun Agarwal, investigation has also linked the accused to some political parties who contacted him some time ago.

"A detailed investigation is being conducted regarding the collection of funds to see if such programmes and other resources are being funded by any political party. From the investigation so far, it appears that some political party is connected with them for its political and personal interests," the police officer said.

(With inputs from agencies)