The chief organiser of an Indian preacher's event where a stampede killed 121 people this week surrendered to police on Friday, a lawyer for the preacher said after police had launched a manhunt.
Devprakash Madhukar was named a key suspect in an initial report registered by police under charges including attempted culpable homicide. Police had announced a reward of 100,000 rupees (AED 4,407) for information leading to his arrest.
A.P. Singh, lawyer for self-styled godman Bhole Baba, said Madhukar was the main organiser of the Hindu religious event on Tuesday, which was attended by about 250,000 people in a village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. District authorities had permitted an event attended by only 80,000 people.
"He has surrendered from Delhi. We are not seeking an anticipatory bail," Singh told reporters. He denied any wrongdoing by the event's organisers and said Devprakash was getting medical treatment in a hospital after the stampede.
The preacher said on Saturday he was saddened by the incident and that his aides would help the injured and families of the deceased.
"I have faith that anyone who created the chaos will not be spared," he told Indian news agency ANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake.
St. Petersburg region port, oil terminal hit in Ukrainian drone attack
Thousands protest in Germany as far-right AfD sets sights on power
Trump extols America, rails at communism in US 250th celebration
Zelenskyy denies Russian capture of key eastern city Kostiantynivka
Keiko Fujimori declared winner of Peru presidential race
Ukrainian rescuers clear rubble as Kyiv mourns 30 killed in Russian attack
Monaco blast suspect is a Ukrainian woman who fled to Germany
Clinical trials begin for two potential Ebola treatments
