Hathras stampede: Preacher's native villagers praise him for not demanding donations

Kasganj (UP): A day after the stampede in Hathras where more than 100 people were killed, the residents of controversial preacher Bhole Baba's native village Bahadurnagar in Kasganj district praised him for never asking for any donation or "chadhava" (offerings) from anyone.

Baba Narayan Hari, also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, used to work in the police department. However, he left his job and became a religious preacher after he discovered that the people got attached to his ideas and congregated for his 'satsang' (religious congregations).

Earlier, he used to conduct 'satsang' at his village Dham under Patiyali tehsil but he stopped after the programmes started getting crowded and the poor people's crops were getting ruined.

The residents of his village said the preacher never asked for donations or "chadhava" from anyone.

When the PTI Videos team asked how Baba made a 'Bhavya Dham', the villagers said it was built out of the donations he received from the devotees, and added that he has not asked for anything from them.

The women residents of his village said Baba's conduct was very good and he only talked about things related to God.

Dhan Singh and Mohit Kumar said they live near the ashram.

Dhan Singh told PTI Videos that "till now nothing untoward had happened in Bhole Baba's satsang. Bahut badhiya mahaul hota tha unke satsang ka (The atmosphere in his 'satsang' used to be very nice)".

Jay Kumar said he is from Baba's birthplace at Bahadurnagar) and the people liked him for his religious sermons. Lakhs of people gather at his 'satsang' but such an incident had never happened.

Jay Kumar heaped lavish praise on Baba and said people were frequent visitors to his 'satsang'.

Jagjivan Ram alias Govind said Baba had started 'satsang' from Agra where he was posted in the police.

The locals said Baba is more than 60 of age and does not have any children.

They said he had adopted a girl, who died around 16-17 years back. Baba had kept her body at home for two days hoping she would come alive.

The police had to intervene and the girl was cremated thereafter, the locals said.

Baba is said to be present an ashram in Mainpuri. A large number of police personnel has been deployed outside the ashram a day after a stampede at his 'satsang' in Hathras district that killed 121 people and injured 31.

However, the officials remained tight-lipped when asked if Baba was inside the ashram.

Some police sources said he indeed was inside.

Police personnel, pooled from several police stations, have been deployed outside the ashram at Bichhawan here and no one, including the media, is allowed inside.