In a horrifying incident, at least 87 people, including women and three children, were killed after a stampede broke out at a religious event in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras on Tuesday, officials have said.
The stampede occurred during a ‘satsang’ (prayer meeting) which was attended by hundreds. Visuals from the Community Health Centre showed several bodies being brought there in buses and tempos in the presence of crying relatives.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken note of the incident and, on his directions, a committee has been set up to investigate the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu also expressed their condolences to the families of those who were killed and said they were praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. PM Modi said the Centre is extending all possible help to the Uttar Pradesh government.
Hathras District Magistrate Ashish Kumar said that, according to numbers received from the community health centre, 50-60 people were killed. Officials in Etah district confirmed the deaths of an additional 27.
“The stampede broke out in Phulrai village within the Sikandra Rao police station limits in Hathras. The injured are being taken to hospitals. Doctors at the community health centre have told me 50-60 people have died. This was a private event and permission had been given by the sub-divisional magistrate. Security arrangements were made by the administration but the other arrangements were supposed to be made by the organisers,” Mr Kumar said.
Chief Medical Officer, Etah, Dr Umesh Kumar Tripathi, said, “We have received 27 bodies, of which 25 are female and two are male. Some injured have also been taken to hospitals. We have heard that there was a stampede during a ‘satsang'”
Senior Superintendent of Police, Etah, Rajesh Kumar said three children were among those killed in the stampede.
“So far, 27 bodies have been sent to the hospital, of which 23 are women and three are children,” Mr Kumar said.
A woman who attended the ‘satsang’ said it was organised in honour of a local guru, Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari, and the stampede broke out as the crowd began to leave.
A compensation of ₹ 2 lakh each has been announced for the families of the dead and ₹ 50,000 for the injured. Officials said a case will be registered against the organisers.
