At least 121 people died and about 150 were injured in the stampede at a satsang in Pulrai village of Hathras in Uttar Pradesh on July 2 – most of them women and children from UP, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan.   

Newslaundry spoke to the families of four women from Haryana who lost their lives in the Hathras tragedy. What really happened at the satsang of self-styled godman Surajpal, alias Narayan Sakar Hari, alias Bhole Baba? Do the kin of the victims hold him accountable? 

Jaldei from Haryana’s, who survived the accident, said, “After the aarti vandana, there was a rush among the people to get out of there. There were two fields there, one of which was a little deep. Some people fell into the deep field and the people coming from behind climbed over them. After this there was a stampede. Those who could not get up, lost their lives.”

The Ramnagar Colony resident also suffered injuries and said that while she “will never go to satsang”, she will continue to believe in the baba. Another woman who survived the incident said that she will continue to go to the satsang and that “baba is not at fault”.

Jagdish Kumar, husband of Tara Devi said he too had “no problem with baba”, while another victim’s family demanded “death penalty” for him.

Watch.

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