Hathras riots: Who is ‘Bole Baba’, the former spiritual preacher-turned-cop linked to the Hathras riots?

On July 2, a crowd surged at a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, leaving devotees suffocated and bodies piling up, leaving 116 people dead in the worst tragedy in recent years.SatsangThe meeting was conducted by a preacher known as ‘Bole Baba’ in Pulrai village of the district.

Spiritual preacher Suraj Pal, popularly called “Narayan Sakar Hari” or “Bhore Baba”, hails from Bahadur Nagar village in Patiyali tehsil of Kasganj district of Uttar Pradesh.

His followers come from across the western, central and neighbouring states, and prominent political leaders also appear on his shows. Local sources say Pal was a constable with the Uttar Pradesh police until the 1990s, but turned to spirituality in the local intelligence department, adopted a new name and began preaching publicly about leading a pious life. He described himself as a disciple of Narayan Sakar Hari and asked his followers to find the almighty God within themselves.

Pal’s Narayan Sakar Hari monastery is spread across 30 acres in the village. The monastery travels by vehicle and has private security. The monastery keeps its distance from the media but has a sizeable following in rural villages. Residents of the area say the monastery does not house any idols.

In his early 60s, he usually wears a white coat and trousers and colorful sunglasses. His mostly female followers usually wear pink clothes and worship him as “Bole Baba.” His wife, who often accompanies him at meetings, is called “Matashri.”

In 2014, Pal shifted his base from Bahadur Nagar to Bichwa in Mainpuri and handed over the management of the monastery to a local administrator. However, he continued to hold meetings in the area, scheduled every Tuesday. Sources said that despite Pal’s shift, the monastery receives up to 12,000 visitors every day.

Local media sources said mismanagement was common among the congregation. “As was mentioned in the article, the administration was lenient towards the monastery. Even during the Covid-19 lockdown, believers were allowed to worship at the monastery,” a local journalist said.

In Patiyali, which voted for the Samajwadi Party candidate in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, speculation has already begun about Pal’s political affiliation. Bharatiya Janata Party supporters took to social media to point out that SP leader Akhilesh Yadav has shared the stage with Pal in 2023, while SP sources accused BJP officials of using Pal to mislead Dalits away from the Ambedkar movement.