'I'm innocent': Bhole Baba appears before judicial commission in Hathras stampede case

LUCKNOW: Surajpal, popularly known as Bhole Baba, appeared before a three-member judicial commission in Lucknow on Thursday, as part of the ongoing investigation into the deadly stampede that took place at his religious gathering in Hathras three months back and claimed 121 lives.
Bhole Baba was questioned for over two hours in a secured building located in Janpath Market, Lucknow.
During the closed-door session, Bhole Baba submitted affidavits from 1,100 attendees of the satsang (religious gathering) to the commission.
According to police sources, these affidavits were provided to help establish the events leading up to the stampede.
Bhole Baba arrived with BJP MLA Babu Ram Paswan in a heavily-guarded SUV, while security measures were tightened significantly.
The police sealed off a 1km perimeter around the commission building, closing nearby shops in Janpath Market and deploying both police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel.
Large groups of Baba’s followers gathered in the area but were kept at bay by barricades.
AP Singh, Bhole Baba’s lawyer, addressed the media after the session, maintaining Baba’s innocence.
"Bhole Baba has no involvement in the incident," Singh stated. He highlighted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had already cleared Baba of any wrongdoing, and the judicial inquiry commission has now done the same.
The commission assured that Baba would not be summoned for further questioning.
His lawyer also stressed that anyone responsible for the tragedy must be held accountable.
In a notable assertion, AP Singh identified Rajesh Yadav, a resident of Mughal Garhi village, as the individual responsible for the stampede.
According to Singh, Yadav had threatened to disrupt the event if he was not appointed as president of a local body, and this information had already been provided to the authorities.
"We have submitted this threat to the court, and action is being pursued through an FIR related to the incident," Singh added.
The stampede, which occurred on July 2, shocked the region and prompted the Uttar Pradesh government to establish a judicial commission to investigate the matter.
The three-member commission is led by retired judge Brijesh Srivastava II, with former IAS officer Hemant Rao and former IPS officer Bhavesh Kumar Singh serving as members.
The commission is tasked with determining the causes of the tragedy and identifying those responsible.