Stampede at a religious event in Hathras Uttar Pradesh claims 50 lives

Among the deceased were at least 23 women, three children, and one man, who were attending a 'satsang' led by the religious preacher Bhole Baba

At least 50 people, mostly women and children, were killed in a devastating stampede during a religious congregation in Pulrai village, Hathras district, on Tuesday afternoon. The incident, which also left several injured, occurred at a ‘satsang’ led by the religious preacher Bhole Baba.

Earlier, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed the fatalities, noting that 27 bodies had been brought to Etah Hospital. Among the deceased were 23 women, three children, and one man. “This is a very unfortunate incident. May their souls rest in peace,” SSP Singh said.

VIDEO | Hathras Stampede: "In Etah Hospital, 27 bodies have been brought, out of which 23 are women, three are children and one is a man. As of now, no injured people have been brought. This is a very unfortunate incident. May their souls rest in peace," says Etah SSP Rajesh… pic.twitter.com/N3LRkybDhj

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 2, 2024

The stampede reportedly happened due to severe overcrowding at the event. Sikandara Rao police station SHO Ashish Kumar stated that the overcrowding caused panic and suffocation among attendees, leading to a rush to exit the venue. The situation was exacerbated by the hot and humid weather conditions.
 

 

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as the crowd attempted to leave the enclosure. Jyoti, a teenage girl who survived the stampede and is currently receiving treatment at Etah district hospital, told Hindustan Times, “There was a huge crowd of followers. It all happened when the satsang ended, and everyone tried to leave quickly. There was no way out, and people fell on each other. Motorcycles parked outside blocked the exit, causing more people to faint and some to die.”

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and directed officials to carry out immediate relief measures. He also instructed authorities to thoroughly investigate the exact cause of the incident.

Temporary permission had been granted for the gathering at the border of Etah and Hathras districts. While the precise reasons behind the stampede remain under investigation, preliminary reports suggest that inadequate crowd control and the venue’s insufficient capacity to handle the large number of attendees were significant factors.
 

This tragedy has raised questions about the safety protocols and emergency preparedness at large public gatherings. The fatalities are likely to rise.

(With agency inputs)