At least 20 people, mostly women, are feared dead in a major stampede during a religious event in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district on Tuesday.
JK News Today/Agencies
Uttar Pradesh, July 02: At least 27 people, including 23 women, three children, and one man, 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 within the Sikandra Rau area of Hathras district.
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.
Some of the deceased who have been identified are – Ganga Devi (70) from Hathras, Priyanka (20) from Kasganj, Jasoda (70) from Mathura, and Saroj Lata (60) from Etah. Two deceased children have also been identified – Kavya (4) and Ayush (8), both hailing from Shahjahnpur.
The exact cause of the incident is being investigated.
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.
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.
