The Uttar Pradesh police apprehended two additional suspects in connection with the Hathras stampede case on July 7, 2024. This comes a day after the main accused, Mukhya Sewadar Devprakash Madhukar, was captured in Najafgarh, Delhi.
Authorities revealed that Madhukar had recently been in contact with certain political parties. As a result, the police are closely examining potential political connections and financial trails. They have vowed to take the “strictest possible” action if any party is found to be involved in the incident.
The newly arrested individuals, Ramprakash Shakya and Sanju Yadav, were taken into custody at Kailora intersection and Gopalpur Kachori in Hathras on Saturday. With these arrests, the total number of detainees in the case has reached nine since the tragic stampede on July 2.
Madhukar, the central figure in the investigation, appeared before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Hathras on Saturday and was subsequently remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
During questioning, Madhukar disclosed that he and other satsang organizers had been approached by political parties some time ago. Investigators are now delving into the financial aspects of satsangs to determine if any political party funded these programs.
Hathras SP Nipun Aggarwal stated that Madhukar was apprehended by the Special Operations Group from Delhi late Friday evening. Madhukar had a long-standing association with the ‘godman’ Suraj Pal, also known as Bholey Baba or Narayan Sakaar Hari. Aggarwal explained, “Madhukar played dual roles in the satsang program held in Phulrai village on July 2: he was both the main organizer and the fundraiser.”
The investigation has also raised suspicions about political party involvement with Suraj Pal. Authorities are scrutinizing all bank accounts, properties, and financial transactions linked to Devprakash Madhukar. Cooperation with other agencies will be sought as needed.
Regarding Suraj Pal’s potential culpability in the stampede, Aggarwal did not explicitly state whether any action would be taken against him.
Additionally, during Madhukar’s interrogation, it was revealed that Suraj Pal’s car was driven through the crowd by his sewadars (disciples), despite awareness that there would be a rush to collect soil with tire marks and the ‘godman’s’ footprints.
Who Is Madhukar? Madhukar, a former junior engineer under the MGNREGA contract in UP’s Etah district since 2010, had been closely associated with ‘godman Bholey Baba’ for years. His roles included organizing and fundraising for satsang and other programs.
The sewadars at the Phulrai satsang venue prevented any interference from the administration. They restricted people from recording videos or taking photographs, although traffic disruptions occurred in violation of the administration’s conditions. Notably, no efforts were made by the sewadars to control the crowd during the stampede.
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