Overcrowded Event
At least 87 people killed in stampede at religious event in India
In a tragic turn of events, at least 87 people were killed in a stampede during a religious gathering in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. The incident occurred in the village of Mughal Garhi in the Hathras district, approximately 200 kilometers southeast of New Delhi. The stampede unfolded during a prayer session known as a "satsang," organized to honor the Hindu deity Shiva.
Local authorities confirmed that the death toll could rise as more victims are being transported to hospitals in Hathras and the neighboring Etah district. The calamity has left the community in shock and mourning, with scenes of chaos and grief outside local hospitals as medical staff worked tirelessly to attend to the injured.
Ashish Kumar, the District Magistrate of Hathras, reported that the stampede occurred as attendees were attempting to leave the event. The gathering, which had official permission to host around 5,000 people, saw an overwhelming turnout of more than 15,000 devotees. The overcrowding led to a frantic rush towards the exits, resulting in the deadly stampede.
Eyewitness accounts paint a harrowing picture of the incident. One survivor, Jyoti, who goes only by her first name, described the chaos: "Everyone was in a rush to leave … There was no way out and people were falling on each other." Another witness, Shakuntala, told the Press Trust of India, "When the sermon finished, everyone started running out. People fell in a drain by the road. They started falling one on top of the other and got crushed to death."
The aftermath of the stampede saw bodies being transported to hospitals and morgues by trucks and private vehicles. Unverified videos on social media depicted the grim scene, with bodies piled up outside a local hospital. The majority of the victims were women, and among the deceased were three children, adding to the tragedy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences during a parliamentary session, assuring that the government is actively involved in relief efforts and is working closely with the state administration to assist the victims. "I am deeply saddened by the incident and will help the injured in every possible way," Modi stated.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed his condolences and directed district administration officials to expedite the relief work and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured. Adityanath's office announced that a high-level committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the incident.
This tragic event is a stark reminder of the recurring issue of deadly stampedes at religious gatherings in India. Poor crowd management and inadequate safety measures have often been cited as contributing factors in such incidents. Previous tragedies include the 2016 explosion at a temple in Kerala that killed 112 people and the 2013 stampede at a bridge near a temple in Madhya Pradesh that claimed 115 lives.
As the investigation into the Hathras stampede continues, there are growing calls for stricter safety protocols and better crowd control measures at religious events to prevent such tragedies in the future. The community, meanwhile, is left to grapple with the profound loss and the urgent need for answers and accountability.
The incident has cast a somber shadow over the region, highlighting the critical importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of attendees at large gatherings. As the nation mourns, the focus remains on providing relief to the victims and their families and implementing measures to prevent such devastating occurrences in the future.