Key Points
The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered separate probes into the stampede at a religious gathering of self-styled godman Suraj Pal Jatav alias Bhole Baba in Uttar Prdesh's Hathras that left 121 people dead on July 2..
The stampede put under the spotlight administrative lapses and self-styled godmen claiming healing powers to end physical and mental miseries as well as exploitation of the poor and the vulnerable, especially young women..
Former state police chief Prakash Singh said a countrywide drive could be launched to check the credentials of self-styled godmen irrespective of their faith without introducing any new law to regulate their activities or expansion..
Self-styled godmen often get away with illegal activities by usually operating in economically impoverished areas, where women bear the brunt of alcoholism, domestic violence, sexual abuse, poverty, and related health issues and fall prey to them..
The Supreme Court in 2021 refused to act on a petition seeking action against fake babas in the country, saying if such self-styled godmen have been convicted in criminal cases that is sufficient reason for people to avoid going to them..
