HATHRAS: Just a few kilometres away from Hathras lies a small village called Sokhna which witnessed the death of four people in the stampede. A 60-year-old woman lost her life while seeking a cure for her grandsonโs fits on the evening of July 2, in the stampede that occurred during Satsang of Narayan Sakar Hari popularly known as Bhole baba.
Son Devi attended the gathering with her grandson Mayank hoping for a miracle for the 6-year-old.
Kalicharan, Son Deviโs son, told The New Indian. โSomehow the kid was saved as a few people lifted him on their shoulders, but my mother died after being trampled by thousands.โ
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Known for miracles, the โChamatkari Babaโ had a reputation for curing various ailments, and villagers had encouraged Son Devi to seek his help for Mayankโs fits. Though not a devotee herself, Son Devi attended the Satsang out of desperation and hope for her grandsonโs health.
Mayank vividly recalled the terrifying incident: โSomebody lifted me and took me out of the stampede and sat me down, but my grandmother was still stuck there.โ
Somehow, the family managed to locate Son Deviโs body in the Etah district, where many other victimsโ bodies had been sent. While the Chamatkari Baba could not provide the miracle cure for Mayankโs fits, the poorly organised satsang resulted in the heartbreaking loss of a beloved family member, a tragedy shared by many others who attended that ill-fated event.
