Stampede Aftermath: Grieving Kin Lose Faith, Lambast 'God Man'

A Year After Hathras Tragedy

- Biswajeet Banerjee

It has been a year since the devastating stampede at a religious congregation of self-styled godman 'Bhole Baba' (also known as Sakar Hari) in Hathras claimed 121 lives and left over 250 injured. As the victims' families continue to grapple with grief, many of them have not only lost their loved ones but also their faith.

Once worshipped in these homes, Bhole Baba's portraits now lie discarded, torn, or thrown out. "If he truly had divine powers, no one would have died," says Anil Chauhan who lost two of his family members—wife Ratna and Neha in the stampede. Now the sole caregiver to his three surviving children, Anil does everything—from cooking and cleaning to sending his kids to school. He has opened a tiny grocery shop in his drawing room to make ends meet, earning just Rs 50-Rs 100 a day.

"We used to worship him. Now we do not even keep his picture in the house," he says, bitterness evident in his voice. "He is no god. If he had power, he would have saved people that day."