Hathras godman on the run, his devotees defend him: 'He knew this would happen'

On July 2 in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, a stampede at a 'satsang' program led to at least 121 deaths.

In western Uttar Pradesh, Surajpal, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari, is a major religious figure among Dalits. While he has followers across various communities, the Jatav community forms his largest support base. 

Narayan Sakar Hari's satsangs are unmatched, drawing around 500,000 devotees and necessitating tents in fields away from cities. Held on the first Tuesday of each month, these events attract vast crowds despite no publicity, social media, or live broadcasts, establishing him as the most significant religious leader among Dalits.

The venue, permitted for 80,000 people, saw an overwhelming crowd of 250,000. But the followers blame the attendees for the tragedy and fiercely defend Bhole Baba, whom they consider divine.

"He knew this was going to happen because he is god," said one devotee. They absolved him of any responsibility for the incident, insisting that the chaos was caused by the sheer number of people present.