Hathras tragedy: Bhole Baba left his constable’s job in 1999; now owns grand ashrams and fleet of luxury cars

Hathras tragedy: Suraj Pal, known to his followers as Bhole Baba and Narayan Hari Sakar, has amassed assets worth Rs 100 crores over the past two decades. This significant wealth has come under scrutiny following a tragic stampede at a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, which led to 121 fatalities last Tuesday.

Bhole Baba, who has remained out of the public eye since the incident, was revered as a saviour by his devotees, who believed his mantras could ward off evil spirits and resolve domestic conflicts. Such was their faith that even amid the chaos and mourning at hospitals, followers showered his arrival at his Mainpuri ashram with flower petals.

The opulent Mainpuri ashram, akin to a palace, is only a glimpse of his extensive wealth. The land on which it stands is valued at Rs 4 crore. According to sources, one of Bhole Baba’s guards donated this land to his trust. The house he resided in is located within the ashram complex, accessible only after passing through the guards’ quarters. Additionally, Bhole Baba leased approximately 50 bighas of adjacent land.

His trust owns multiple ashrams and vast tracts of land across Kasganj, Agra, Kanpur, and Gwalior. Bhole Baba, who left his job as a constable in 1999 to pursue a life of preaching, has a known affinity for luxury, possessing a fleet of high-end cars, allegedly registered under his followers’ names.

Interestingly, a sign at one of his ashrams claims that the self-styled godman does not accept donations. However, this is contradicted by the names of numerous donors inscribed on the ashram walls, with contributions ranging from bags of cement to vehicles and cash for constructing ashrams.

The stampede at the ‘satsang’ organised by Bhole Baba and his organisation in Phulrai village, Hathras, saw a massive turnout of around 2.5 lakh followers, despite the organisers having permission for only 80,000 attendees. The chaos ensued when devotees rushed to collect the dust kicked up by Bhole Baba’s departing convoy, considering it a blessing. In an attempt to manage the crowd, volunteers and security personnel from his organisation began pushing people back, causing several devotees to fall near an embankment and be trampled by the surging crowd. The panic led to a full-blown stampede.

A day after the Hathras tragedy, Bhole Baba expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and attributed the disaster to “anti-social elements.” Six persons have been arrested so far in connection with the incident. However, Bhole Baba has not been named in the FIR, which holds the event organisers accountable. The police have not ruled out the possibility of taking Bhole Baba into custody but have indicated that it is premature to determine his involvement in the incident.