Hathras stampede: Rise of Bhole Baba, miracles and all

At 12.30pm on Tuesday, a ripple went through the waiting, breathless crowd of more than 200,000 people in Phulrai Mughalsarai village in Hathras. In a typical crisp white suit and white shoes, a 65-year-old-man ascended the stage, and sat down on a bejewelled throne. A man known by many names — Suraj Pal, Narayan Sarkar Hari, and Bhole Baba. A man who has lived many lives — as head constable with the Uttar Pradesh Police, as a member of the UP local intelligence unit, and for the past two decades, as a religious preacher with millions of followers ranging from the poor to the influential.