An Indian preacher whose latest sermon ended in a deadly stampede that killed more than 120 people insisted that fate could not be challenged and death was inevitable. In his first appearance before the media since July 2, when 121 people were crushed to death following a sermon he delivered in the northern city of Hathras, Bhole Baba said he was upset by the tragedy. “I am very distressed by what happened, but who can possibly challenge fate?” he said. “Whoever comes to this earth has to go one day – it is only a matter of when.” The police constable-turned-preacher spoke to local media Wednesday at one of his monasteries in Kasganj, around 60 kilometres (40 miles) from the stampede site. Baba’s lawyer had earlier said “anti-social elements” in the crowd were responsible. The prayer meeting was attended by 250,000 devotees, more than three times the authorised number. The vast majority of fatalities were women.