One Year After Hathras Stampede: Grief, Anger & Lost Faith In 'Bhole Baba'

Hathras: It has been a year since the devastating stampede at a religious congregation of self-styled godman 'Bhole Baba' (also known as Sakar Hari) in Hathras claimed 121 lives and left over 250 injured. As the victims’ families continue to grapple with grief, many of them have not only lost their loved ones but also their faith.

Once worshipped in these homes, Bhole Baba's portraits now lie discarded, torn, or thrown out. "If he truly had divine powers, no one would have died," says Anil Chauhan who lost two of his family members - wife Ratna and Neha in the stampede. Now the sole caregiver to his three surviving children, Anil does everything — from cooking and cleaning to sending his kids to school. He has opened a tiny grocery shop in his drawing room to make ends meet, earning just Rs 50- Rs 100 a day.

"We used to worship him. Now we do not even keep his picture in the house," he says, bitterness evident in his voice. “He is no god. If he had power, he would have saved people that day.”

Just a short walk away in the same village, 65-year-old Son Devi also died in the stampede while attending the satsang with her 10-year-old grandson Mayank. He survived, but tragedy struck again just four months later when Son Devi’s son, Kalicharan, died of dengue. Now only her widowed daughter-in-law Rekha and two grandchildren remain in the household. "I work in the fields and earn Rs 200-250 a day. That is how we are surviving," Rekha says.

In Nabi Pur Khurd area of Hathras city, Munni Devi (60) was another casualty. Her son Jugnu Kumar recalls that she had reluctantly gone to the satsang with neighbours. “We never believed in Bhole Baba,” Jugnu says, his eyes moist. "She was not even that devoted. Just went along with others. Now nothing is the same."

The family received Rs 4 lakh in government compensation, but it was split among four married brothers — Rs 1 lakh each. "That money didn’t help anyone rebuild their life," Jugnu adds.

In the same locality, 58-year-old Asha Devi, a health department employee, also died in the tragedy. Her daughter-in-law Naina Devi recalls how she had warned her not to attend. "But she was devoted to Bhole Baba. She had his portrait in the prayer room. After her death, we threw it in the trash. We never considered him divine, and we still don’t."

Despite the disillusionment, a handful of families still cling to their faith in Bhole Baba. In Sokhna village, even after losing a family member in the stampede, some continue to attend his satsangs with unwavering devotion.

The Tragedy:

The tragedy unfolded on July 2, 2024, in the village of Phulrai Mugalgadhi in Sikandrarao area of Hathras. As Bhole Baba’s congregation ended and he departed in his vehicle, devotees surged forward to collect dust from the path he had walked on. The crowd — which ballooned to over 2.5 lakh, despite permission being granted for just 80,000 — spiraled into chaos. Many were trampled or suffocated as the crowd rushed downhill into waterlogged fields on the opposite side of the road.

Instead of controlling the crowd, eyewitnesses say the sevadars (volunteers) beat the fleeing devotees with sticks, worsening the situation. Many women, children, and elderly people were crushed in the frenzy.

The case remains under trial in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Mahendra Srivastava. Police have filed a 3,200-page chargesheet against 11 accused, including chief organizer Dev Prakash Madhukar, who allegedly misled authorities about the expected turnout. All 11 have been granted bail. The court has fixed July 19 as the next hearing date, and the framing of charges is still pending after 31 hearings.

Among the arrested are Dev Prakash Madhukar, Megh Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Manju Devi, Manju Yadav, Ram Ladete, Upendra Singh, Sanju Kumar, Ramprakash Shakya, Durvesh Kumar, and Dalvir Singh.

As the legal battle drags on, justice remains elusive for the grieving families. For many, the wound is far deeper than any court verdict can heal — a loss of not just lives, but of trust and faith.

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