Hathras stampede: Main accused Dev Prakash Madhukar surrenders in Delhi, handed over to UP Police

Madhukar, who was the 'chief sevadar' of Bhole Baba and carried a cash reward of Rs one lakh, surrendered before the Delhi police late on Friday night. The stampede has killed 121 people.

Lucknow: Three days after 121 devotees were killed in a stampede at a 'satsang' (religious congregation) in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district, the main accused in the case Dev Prakash Madhukar, who was the 'chief sevadar' of Bhole Baba and carried a cash reward of Rs one lakh, surrendered before the Delhi police late on Friday night.

According to the sources, Madhukar's lawyer A.P. Singh called the UP police late in the evening and informed them that Madhukar was being treated at a hospital in Delhi for heart problems and that he wanted to surrender.

The UP police passed on the information to the Delhi police and Madhukar was arrested after he surrendered before the cops near a hospital in Uttam Nagar area in the national capital.

Singh said that Madhukar was not well and therefore was admitted to the hospital. ''He surrendered after his condition improved,'' he added.

Sources said that Madhukar was handed over to the UP police later.

Earlier in the day Singh had said that Madhukar would soon appear before the police and put forth his side of the story. ‘’Madhukar will appear before the cops as soon as he recovers and his condition is stable….he does not have any criminal record,’’ the lawyer said.

The police had on Thursday arrested six persons, who were among the organizers of the ‘satsang’ at Phulrai village in Hathras district where 121 people were killed in a stampede on Tuesday.

Madhukar, who was the main organiser of the event, was also the main accused in the FIR registered by the police after the tragedy. The police had announced a cash reward of Rs one lakh on his arrest.

Suraj Pal alias Sakar Hari Bhole however remained untraceable even three days after the tragedy and a hunt was launched to trace him.