HATHRAS: Devprakash Madhukar, the prime suspect named in the FIR filed in connection with the stampede that claimed 121 lives after a sermon by Surajpal Singh, alias Bhole Baba, in Hathras on Tuesday, has been removed from his position as a technical assistant overseeing MGNREGS activities across 20 panchayats in Etah district. He was employed on a contractual basis and had been in service for 15 years.
An FIR was registered against Madhukar, the ‘mukhya sevadar (chief volunteer),’ for his “deep involvement in organising the religious gathering where the stampede occurred.”.He has been charged under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence). On Thursday, police announced a Rs 1 lakh bounty on him, and he also faces a non-bailable warrant (NBW) for being on the run.
However, Supreme Court lawyer A P Singh, representing Bhole Baba in the stampede incident, claimed that Madhukar is not absconding. “He is a heart patient and undergoing treatment. One of his family members died in the stampede. He has no past criminal record. We will present him before court when he gets better,” Singh said.
Madhukar’s responsibilities as junior engineer included preparing bills and vouchers following inspections of development projects funded by MGNREGS in the Sheetalpur block of Etah district.