Hathras stampede: ‘Bhole Baba’s’ close aide Dev Prakash Madhukar arrested from Delhi, one lakh rupees reward was on his head
New Delhi: Dev Prakash Madhukar, the main accused in the Hathras stampede case and a close associate of Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba, has been arrested. The UP STF team has arrested Madhukar from Delhi. The police will present him in court on Saturday.
A reward of one lakh rupees was placed on Madhukar
The police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anyone who could provide information about Devprakash Madhukar, the main accused in the stampede incident. Madhukar was absconding since the incident. In search of the accused, the UP police had started searching not only in the state but also in neighbouring Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana.
Police is also searching for Narayan Sakar Hari alias ‘Bhole Baba’
A police officer said that various agencies are also looking for preacher Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias ‘Bhole Baba’ for questioning. A total of 121 people, mostly women, died in the stampede after ‘Bhole Baba’s’ satsang on July 2 in Phulrai village of Hathras district.
Police have arrested seven people
In the FIR registered in this case, only the main sevadar Madhukar’s name has been mentioned as the accused and Surajpal’s name has not been mentioned. This FIR was registered in Hathras’s Sikandrarao police station in which apart from Madhukar, ‘many unknown organizers’ have also been made accused and so far seven people have been arrested in the case. Six people were arrested before Madhukar.
Case has been registered under these sections
Police had registered a case under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 238 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code. The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday constituted a three-member judicial commission headed by a retired High Court judge to probe the Hathras tragedy. The commission will also investigate whether the incident was a “conspiracy”.
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