The chief organizer of an Indian preachers' rally where a stampede killed 121 people this week turned himself in to police on Friday, a lawyer for the preacher said, after police launched a manhunt.
Devprakash Madhukar was named as a key suspect in an initial report registered by police on charges including attempted culpable homicide. Police had announced a reward of 100,000 Indian rupees ($1,200) for information leading to his arrest.
AP Singh, a lawyer for self-proclaimed god Bhole Baba, said Madhukar was the main organiser of Tuesday's Hindu religious event attended by about 250,000 people in a town in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. District authorities had permitted an event of only 80,000 people.
“He has surrendered from Delhi. We are not seeking anticipatory bail,” Singh told reporters. He denied any wrongdoing by the event organisers and said Devprakash was undergoing medical treatment at a hospital after the stampede.
The preacher said Saturday he was saddened by the incident and that his aides would assist the injured and the families of those killed.
“I have faith that whoever created the chaos will not be spared,” he told the Indian news agency. ME TOOin which Reuters has a minority stake.
