Main organiser surrenders after stampede kills 121 in India

The chief organiser of a religious event in India where a stampede killed 121 people this week surrendered to police on Friday. This occurred after police had launched a manhunt.

Devprakash Madhukar, identified as a key suspect, was named in an initial police report with charges including attempted culpable homicide. Police had announced a reward of 100,000 rupees (£935) for information leading to his arrest.

AP Singh, lawyer for self-styled godman Bhole Baba, confirmed that Madhukar was the main organiser of the Hindu religious event on Tuesday, attended by about 250,000 people in a village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. District authorities had only permitted the event for 80,000 people.

"He has surrendered from Delhi. We are not seeking anticipatory bail," Singh told reporters.

He denied any wrongdoing by the event's organisers and stated that Devprakash was receiving medical treatment in a hospital after the stampede.

The preacher expressed his sadness over the incident and assured that his aides would help the injured and the families of the deceased. "I have faith that anyone who created the chaos will not be spared," he told Indian news agency ANI.

The stampede occurred on Tuesday afternoon as attendees were exiting the canopied ground by a highway where the event was held. Police reported that several people ran towards the preacher's vehicle but were stopped by his aides, leading to a commotion during which some attendees fell and were trampled. Others trying to escape to open fields slipped on uneven ground and fell in the path of the crowd.

Singh countered media reports by stating that Baba never asked anyone to touch his feet or gave anyone the dust touched by his feet, which were cited as reasons for people running towards his vehicle.

The bodies of the deceased, including 112 women and seven children, were handed over to their families. Stampedes are not uncommon at religious events in India, which often involve large crowds and are poorly managed.

(With inputs from Reuters)