In a heartbreaking turn of events, the death toll from a stampede at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India has tragically risen to 121, with the victims predominantly being 108 women and seven children.
According to reports from Reuters citing police sources, the incident unfolded on Tuesday in a village within Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district, located just 200 kilometers southeast of New Delhi. The stampede occurred as thousands of devotees surged forward while bidding farewell to a revered religious preacher known as ‘Bhole Baba’, who was departing in his car.
Authorities disclosed that the congregation had exceeded its permitted capacity by threefold. Despite official permission for 80,000 attendees, an overwhelming crowd of approximately 250,000 people gathered for the event. The chaotic situation escalated rapidly as devotees chased after the departing vehicle, chanting the preacher’s name. This surge led to a cascade effect, causing individuals to topple over each other. Tragically, some fell into adjacent fields filled with slush and mud, where many were fatally trampled.
Local media reports indicate that authorities are currently seeking the whereabouts of the preacher amidst the aftermath of the incident. Eyewitnesses recounted a harrowing scene as people tumbled down a slope into a water-logged ditch, with the weight of the crowd causing fatal consequences.
Stampedes and other deadly incidents have unfortunately become a recurring phenomenon during major religious festivals in India, where millions of devotees often converge on pilgrimage sites. Reflecting on the calamity, Police Officer Sheela Maurya lamented, “There wasn’t enough space, and everyone just fell on top of each other—the entire crowd, including women and children, all left from the event site at once.”
This tragedy stands as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved crowd management and safety measures at such large-scale gatherings across the country.
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