Hathras, India – In a heart-wrenching tragedy, the ‘satsang’ gathering of Narayan Sakar Hari, popularly known as ‘Bhole Baba’, turned into a scene of chaos and devastation, claiming the lives of 123 individuals and leaving countless families in mourning. The stampede, triggered as ‘Bhole Baba’ departed and his followers rushed to collect dust stirred by his car, has cast a pall of grief over the community.
For those who lost loved ones in the stampede, the agony is profound. Many are still searching for their missing relatives, navigating the grim task of identifying bodies in multiple mortuaries. The injured, scattered across various hospitals in Hathras, Etah, and Aligarh, have added to the anguish as families desperately seek their whereabouts.
Urmila Devi, who attended the ‘satsang’ with her 16-year-old granddaughter, recounted her desperate search across three district hospitals. “I looked everywhere, called out her name,” she shared with NDTV, her voice trembling with worry. “But I haven’t found her yet,” she added, expressing her fear and uncertainty without a means to contact her elder son about her missing granddaughter.
In the aftermath, emotions are raw among those affected. Some, like Binod from Hathras, have torn down posters of ‘Bhole Baba’ in their homes as they grapple with the loss of entire families. “I rushed home to find they are all dead,” Binod lamented through tears, recounting the devastating moment he learned of the tragedy.
The incident has also sparked anger towards ‘Bhole Baba’, whose whereabouts remain unknown even as he issues statements through his lawyer promising cooperation with investigators. In hospitals, among the injured and their families, faith in the godman has turned to resentment. “If he cares about us, he should come and heal us,” voiced a woman recovering from injuries sustained in the stampede, her plea echoing the disillusionment felt by many.
As the investigation into the stampede continues, the Hathras community remains united in grief, demanding answers and justice amidst the deep sorrow that has gripped the region. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the fragile line between faith and tragedy, where the pursuit of spirituality tragically ended in loss and devastation for so many families.
3.5
