Devprakash Madhukar Arrested for Hathras Stampede That Killed 121 People

Devprakash Madhukar, the main accused in the Hathras stampede incident that claimed 121 lives, was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Saturday. He was subsequently sent to 14 days of judicial custody.

The court questioned Madhukar about the event’s permission, to which he replied that he had obtained it from the SDM for a gathering of 80,000 people. However, he admitted that he did not publicize the event.

Madhukar had been absconding, and a reward of Rs 1 lakh was announced for information leading to his capture. He was finally arrested on July 5 in the national capital. Two other accused, Ramprakash Shakya and Sanju Yadav, were also arrested.

The stampede occurred during a ‘Satsang’ of self-styled godman Suraj Pal Singh, also known as ‘Bhole Baba,’ in Fulari village in Hathras on July 2. Investigations revealed that Madhukar was the main organizer and responsible for collecting funds for the event. He had been working as a junior engineer in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, since 2010 and was associated with the monk for years.

Madhukar organized the event without following proper procedures and failed to make adequate arrangements, leading to the tragedy. He also restricted police personnel from entering the event premises. The investigation is ongoing to determine if any political party was involved in funding the event. Police are also examining Madhukar’s bank accounts, properties, and financial transactions.

According to the FIR, around 2,50,000 people gathered for the event, even though permission was given for only 80,000. Suraj Pal Singh, during whose event the incident happened, expressed his grief and condoled the deaths. In a video statement, he said, “Those who created the chaos will not be spared.” He also requested the committee members to support the bereaved families and the injured.