Who Is Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, The Ex-Cop Turned Preacher Who Led The Satsang In UP's Hathras?

According to reports, the stampede at the Hathras event on Tuesday began when Bhole Baba's servants prevented people from leaving the venue due to the heat and humidity, allowing the preacher and his entourage to leave first.

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Religious Preacher Sakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba is no stranger to controversy. On Tuesday, at least 107 people—including women and children—died in a stampede during his "satsang," or religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. Suraj Pal, also known as Bhole Baba by his followers, is from Bahadur Nagar in the Patiyali area of Kasganj district. Formerly known as Saurabh Kumar, he left his job with the state police 17 years ago to become a preacher.  While his followers spread beyond Uttar Pradesh to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, both the preacher and his disciples keep a low profile in the media.

According to a devotee, Bhole Baba had no religious mentor, and shortly after his voluntary retirement from service, he had a 'vision' of the deity, which led him to become interested in spiritual pursuits. He used to hold'satsangs' every Tuesday, and just before Hathras, he held a similar event in Mainpuri district last week.

Bhole Baba Courted Controversy During Covid Pandemic

During the Covid pandemic, he courted controversy by requesting permission to hold a satsang in Farrukhabad district in May 2022 with only 50 people attending. However, the congregation grew to over 50,000, causing significant problems for the local administration.

According to reports, the stampede at the Hathras event on Tuesday began when Bhole Baba's servants prevented people from leaving the venue due to the heat and humidity, allowing the preacher and his entourage to depart first. As people were given permission to leave, chaos ensued, resulting in the stampede.