Uttar Pradesh: Hathras stampede accused held

Bhole Baba’s aide sent to jail for 14 days along with another suspect; preacher still untraceable, say police

Devprakash Madhukar, the key accused in the July 2 stampede at a satsang in Hathras, was on Saturday sent to 14-day judicial custody along with another suspect, Sanju Yadav, said officials. Madhukar is the aide of self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba, at whose satsang the stampede occurred, leaving 121 people—mostly women—dead. Bhole Baba is currently untraceable.

Earlier in the day, Hathras Superintendent of Police Nipun Agarwal told reporters that the police would move court to get custody of Madhukar, as well as the other suspects.“Madhukar and Yadav were produced before the judicial magistrate’s court today and were sent in judicial remand for 14 days,” assistant prosecution officer Uma Shankar Yadav said, adding that a third suspect, Ramprakash Shakya, would be produced in the court on Sunday since some formalities were pending post his arrest.

Accused’s financial transactions, money trail, call detail records are being checked

Madhukar was arrested from Delhi’s Najafgarh area late on Friday. Shakya and Yadav were arrested on Saturday from Hathras, according to police. Madhukar is the only named accused in the FIR, which also mentions as accused “several other unidentified organisers” of the satsang. Devprakash Madhukar, the main accused in the July 2 Hathras satsang stampede, who was arrested from Delhi by the Uttar Pradesh Police, claimed he was recently contacted by some political parties and suspected that self-styled godman Bhole Baba’s events were “funded” by a political party.

The stampede left 121 people dead, according to the police. Madhukar, 42, was arrested late on Friday from Delhi’s Najafgarh area by a Special Operations Group of Hathras police, Hathras Superintendent of Police Nipun Agarwal said. The officer said Madhukar worked as a fundraiser for events of self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole baba and collected donations. The police will apply for remand of Madhukar, he said.

“His financial transactions and money trails are being looked into, and call detail records are also being checked,” Agarwal added. However, on Friday night, Madhukar’s lawyer AP Singh had claimed he had surrendered to the police in Delhi, where he had come for medical treatment. Around 2.15 pm on Saturday, Madhukar was brought by the police to the Bagla Combined District Hospital in Hathras for a medical examination amid heavy security deployment in and around the government hospital. Madhukar had his face covered with a handkerchief and had a stole tied around his head.

Prime accused of the Hathras stampede case, Devprakash Madhukar. Pic/PTI

Madhukar was the “mukhya sevadar” of the satsang where the stampede occurred. He is the only accused named in the FIR lodged at Sikandra Rao police station in Hathras in connection with the incident. Agarwal said the investigation also revealed that some political parties had contacted him some time back. “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.

“All the bank accounts, movable and immovable properties, money trail, related to the accused Devprakash Madhukar are being investigated, in which assistance will be taken from other agencies as per the need,” he added. Agarwal said the accused and the organising committee members working under his direction were “fully responsible” for the barricading, entrance gate, exit gate, seating arrangements.

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