Great Hathras Tragedy: 116 killed in UP stampede

Hathras (UP): In a tragic incident, several people have died in a stampede at a religious event in Hathras. As per reports, 116 people have died, and several others were injured during the stampede at the religious gathering in a village in Hathras district on Tuesday.

Devotees suffocated to their deaths and bodies piled atop each other in the stampede – among the biggest such tragedies in recent years - that took place at a 'satsang' in the district’s Phulrai village.

Many bodies were brought to neighboring Etah district. "Twenty-seven bodies have arrived in Etah hospital. Among those killed are 23 women, three children and a man," Senior Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar Singh said initially. But updates put the toll much higher. Based on hospital accounts, a district official said over 100 people were killed. Unconfirmed reports said the toll was even higher. Victims, dead or unconscious, were brought to the Sikandara Rao Trauma Centre in trucks and ‘tempos’.

The bodies lay outside the health centre as people milled around them. One video clip showed a woman crying, sitting among five or six bodies in a truck. Another showed a man and a woman lying lifeless in another vehicle. According to Sikandra Rao sub divisional magistrate Ravendra Kumar, the stampede took place when devotees tried to get a glimpse of the Bhole Baba, who conducted the 'satsang', at the end of the event. They also wanted to collect some soil from around the baba’s feet, he said.

Sikandra Rao police station SHO Ashish Kumar blamed “overcrowding” at Bhole Baba’s satsang. Agra’s Additional Director General of Police and Aligarh Divisional Commissioner are part of a team that would probe in the incident, the state government said.

Speaking in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths. On social media, President Droupadi Murmu said the news was heart-rending. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed sadness.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the families of those killed and announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs 2 lakh each gratia for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured.