Hathras stampede: Bhole Baba’s counsel seeks CCTV footage
Suraj Pal’s counsel, AP Singh, a Delhi-based lawyer, came out in support of the preacher and claimed that it was a conspiracy hatched to defame the organising committee.
AGRA: Reasserting the conspiracy theory behind the gruesome deaths of 121 devotees in the stampede after the ‘Satsang’ of self-styled godman Suraj Pal aka Narain Sakar Hari or Bhole Baba on July 02, Bhole Baba’s counsel has said that a representation has been forwarded to the Hathras police, special investigative team, and Judicial Commission to obtain CCTV footage of the road to uncover the truth.
An FIR was lodged against the chief organiser for misleading the administration by seeking permission for a gathering of 80,000 devotees, whereas over 2 lakh people turned up for the spiritual congregation at Phoolrai village under Sikandra Rau police station. In all, 11 individuals, mostly volunteers (sevadars) and chief organiser, have been arrested in connection with the matter.
Suraj Pal’s counsel, AP Singh, a Delhi-based lawyer, came out in support of the preacher and claimed that it was a conspiracy hatched to defame the organising committee.
“It was a conspiracy hatched to destabilise the state government and malign the image of Narain Sakar Hari, the organisers of the Satsang, Manav Mangal Milan Sadbhavna Samagam Samiti. It was an evil plan to harm those who believed in Satatan Dharma,” alleged Singh in a viral video message on Sunday.
‘To expose such conspiracy causing so many deaths, we have filed a complaint and a representation to Superintendent of Police at Hathras, members of Special Investigation Team (SIT) and retired justice of Allahabad high court heading the judicial commission so as to expose those who plotted this blood bathed conspiracy’ stated Singh.
“With the passage of time, some eyewitnesses are identifying the conspirators present at the spot, along with vehicles, including black and white vehicles parked outside the Satsang site that day. These vehicles, used by conspirators, moved towards Etah district,” he alleged.
“Through our complaint and representation, we have highlighted the need to gather, seize, and examine CCTV footage from both private and government sources on the road towards Etah from the site of the Satsang. The CCTV footage from cameras at toll plazas on Etah-Aligarh road, petrol pumps, and roadside can be of significant assistance if collected by Hathras police,” suggested AP Singh.
“We request the Hathras police to provide copies of each CCTV footage so that the recovered victims and eyewitnesses can identify the real culprits behind the incident,” said the lawyer.
“We need to know who these culprits were and on whose directions they were acting. They could be from a political party or affiliated with another religious group. We have included these facts and demands in our representation so that the guilty can be brought to justice, in the interest of those who lost their loved ones or were injured. This is also in the interest of the organisers, Narain Sakar Hari, and the Uttar Pradesh government, which has been targeted following this tragedy,” opined AP Singh. He did not rule out filing a case against the conspirators if sufficient evidence is found.
Singh had earlier alleged a well-planned conspiracy behind the stampede incident in Hathras, claiming that 10 to 12 youths with bottles had sprayed a poisonous substance on followers standing on the road after the Satsang ended on July 2 in Hathras village.
Interestingly, the SIT report has not ruled out a conspiracy angle to the incident.