Hathras Stampede Tragedy: Bhole Baba Located In Mainpuri Ashram - Sources

Hathras Stampede Tragedy: After having launched intense searches across the state by Uttar Pradesh government, Bhole Baba has been traced inside the Mainpuri Ashram, according to Zee News TV sources. Earlier, a senior government official told PTI that the agencies, including the police, are also looking for preacher Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba for questioning in the case. Earlier, the police had cordoned off his ashram in Mainpuri,"We have found the location of his mobile phone to be near his ashram and we are keeping a close watch," said a senior police official earlier. 

Rahul Gandhi Visits Affected Families 

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visited the families affected by the Hathras stampede on Friday and urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide fair compensation for the victims. 

Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in Hathras early in the morning, met with the bereaved families of those who lost their lives in the July 2 tragedy at a religious 'Satsang' event of self-styled godman Suraj Pal alias 'Bhole Baba' in Fulari village in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, which claimed 121 lives.

On his way to Hathras, the Congress leader also stopped in Aligarh to meet the victims' families. He expressed his condolences and sought to understand their situation.

"It is a sad incident. Many lives have been lost. I am not approaching this from a political perspective but addressing the deficiencies of the administration. The main priority should be to provide maximum compensation to the poor families affected by this tragedy. I request CM Yogi Adityanath to provide compensation with an open heart," he said while speaking to the media.

Hathras Stampede Tragedy 

A total of 121 people, mostly women, were killed in the stampede after the preacher's satsang in Hathras' Fulrai village on July 2 in one of the worst tragedies in recent years. An FIR in the matter was lodged on July 2 under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence).

The UP government has on Wednesday formed a three-member judicial commission headed by a retired high court judge to probe the Hathras tragedy, and to also look into the possibility that there was a "conspiracy" behind the stampede.