New Delhi: At least 116 people, mostly women, died in a major stampede during a religious event in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district on Tuesday. The incident took place when a religious preacher was addressing his followers at a specially laid tent in the Rati Bhanpur village in the Sikandra Rau area of Hathras district.
The death toll rose to 116, Inspector General of Police for the Aligarh Range, Shalabh Mathur, said. He also said that an FIR would be filed against the organisers of the event. The Uttar Pradesh government said that more devotees were present at the ‘satsang’ than permitted by the administration. “The number of attendees exceeded the administration’s permitted limit at the venue, leading to a stampede during Bhole Baba’s satsang,” a statement released by the state government said.
According to the police, prima facie, it appears that suffocation at the venue led to discomfort among the people attending the ‘Satsang’. Following this, the people started running, causing a stampede. It was very hot and humid during the event, the police added.
“It was a satsang meeting of Bhole Baba, a religious preacher. A temporary permission was granted for gathering at the spot on the border of Etah and Hathras district on Tuesday afternoon,” Inspector General (Aligarh Range) Shalabh Mathur said.
According to one of the survivors, the stampede took place when the religious event ended, and everyone was rushing to leave the place.
“There was a huge crowd gathered of followers at the spot. There was no way out, and everybody fell on each other, and a stampede took place. When I tried to move out, there were motorcycles parked outside, which blocked my way. Many fainted while others died,” a victim, who was admitted to a nearby hospital, said.
The exact cause of the incident is being investigated.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and directed the officials in and around Hathras district to speed up rescue and relief operations. “He has also given instructions to investigate the causes of the incident under the leadership of ADG Agra and Commissioner Aligarh,” the CM’s Office wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
PM announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed profound sorrow over the stampede in Hathras and announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for the next of kin of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
The stampede occurred during a religious congregation at a ‘satsang’ event in Uttar Pradesh’s Pulrai village where a large number of people had gathered.
Amidst his reply to a two-day debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s address to both Houses of Parliament, Modi condoled the death.
“In the midst of discussions, I have also been given sad news. It has come to my attention that there have been many tragic deaths in the stampede in Hathras, UP,” PM Modi said in Lok Sabha.
“I express my condolences to those who lost their lives in this incident. I hope for the speedy recovery of all the injured,” he said.
The prime minister said senior officials of the central government are in constant contact with the Uttar Pradesh administration to coordinate aid efforts.
