Over 80 people were killed after a stampede broke out at a religious event organised by a self-styled guru, Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari, who has often claimed that he has worked with the Intelligence Bureau. He also told his devotees that he was inclined towards spirituality even when he was working and had resigned in the 1990s to pursue the spiritual path.

Narayan Hari was born in Bahadur Nagari village in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district and completed his initial studies there. He claims that he began working for the Intelligence Bureau after college and turned towards spirituality during his time there. 

One of the distinguishing features of Narayan Hari as a guru is that he does not wear saffron clothes, preferring a white suit and tie. His other preferred attire is a kurta-pyjama. During his sermons, he says that he does not keep any amount from the donations that are given to him and spends it all on his devotees. 

Narayan Hari calls himself a disciple of Hari and has a sizeable following in western Uttar Pradesh. 

At least 87 people were killed during a stampede at the ‘satsang’ organised in Narayan Hari’s honour in Hathras district’s Phulrai village on Tuesday. Police said the place where the event was held was too small to accommodate the crowd that had gathered there. A committee has been formed to investigate the incident and a case will be filed against the organisers. 

Tragedy befell Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras on Tuesday where over 116 people were killed in a stampede that occurred during a ‘satsang’ (religious gathering). In their initial response to the massive casualties, the police said overcrowding led to the stampede as was in a video being widely circulated on social media.

Over the past two decades, several stampedes have broken out at public events in India as well as around the world.