The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested six sevadars associated with the organising committee of the Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari, which has been held responsible for the stampede that led to death and mayhem at the Bhole Baba Satsang here on Tuesday.
A total of 121 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives in the incident.
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However, the prime accused in the case, the head of the organising committee Madhukar, is absconding. The state police announced a reward of one lakh rupees on his head.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Inspector General of Police (IG) Aligarh Shalabh Mathur said among the arrested sevadars, four are male and two female. They include Upendra, Manju, and Mukesh. The police arrested those sevedars who obstructed the police from discharging their duty.
He further said that SOG teams have been deployed in all districts at the zone level to identify and arrest other accused while the evidence recovered from the spot is being included in the investigation.
When asked about police action to be taken on Bhole Baba, he said, “If necessary, Narayan Sakar alias Bhole Baba will be interrogated. His name is not there in the FIR. The responsibility lies with the organiser who is named in the FIR”.
The Aligarh IG said, “A case has been registered under Sections 105, 110, 126 (2), 223 and 238 of the Indian Judicial Code. So far, six people have been arrested.”
He said the sevadars did not allow the police, administrative officers, and other people who came to help to pick up the dead bodies. All the sevadars engaged in the arrangements ran away from the spot leading to the stampede.
The IG said the organisers stopped the crowd leading to the stampede as people suddenly scrambled to leave the venue. Women and children fell on each other. There was a crowd near Baba’s car for Charanraj (touching the feet and taking the soil).
The IG confirmed that the death toll was 121 and all the bodies have been identified and the post-mortem process has been completed. He said a case has been registered under sections 105, 110, 126(2), 223, and 238 of BNS against the organisers.
