Approximately 250,000 individuals congregated at a Hindu religious assembly in northern India, resulting in a stampede that claimed over 100 lives, significantly exceeding the authorized capacity, as per a police document examined by Reuters.
The death toll escalated to 121 by Wednesday, as reported by news agency ANI. The incident transpired during a religious gathering in a village within Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, approximately 200 km southeast of New Delhi. The document reveals that police had sanctioned the assembly of 80,000 people.
Following a search operation by the Uttar Pradesh police at Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri district for the popular preacher 'Bhole Baba', who conducted a Satsang in Hathras where the stampede occurred, Deputy Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar disclosed that the preacher was not located on the premises.
The stampede ensued when attendees surged towards the stage to approach the descending preacher, according to Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Local media attributed the event to a group of devotees without specifying individuals. An eyewitness, Shakuntala Devi, recounted that the stampede happened due to an uneven road after the Satsang concluded.
The casualties comprised 108 women and seven children, as stated by Manoj Kumar Singh, Uttar Pradesh's chief secretary. Aligarh DM Vishak G Iyer informed that 23 bodies were transported to Aligarh, with three injured individuals receiving treatment, one in critical condition.
Hathras Chief Medical Officer Dr Manjeet Singh confirmed that identification procedures for the bodies were ongoing, with 19 out of 32 already identified. Congress MP KL Sharma urged the state government to ensure adequate safety measures during such events, advocating for increased compensation considering the families' circumstances.
Congress MP Imran Masood addressed the incident, noting the presence of 32 bodies and nine injured, including a female police officer, with many yet to be identified. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed his condolences, labeling the event as 'unfortunate' and stating that the government is conducting a review.
