A stampede at a religious gathering in India on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people and left numerous others injured, according to officials.
The panic erupted as thousands attempted to exit a makeshift tent following an event featuring a local Hindu guru known as Bhole Baba.
Authorities suggested that heat and suffocation inside the tent might have contributed to the chaos. Footage of the aftermath indicated that the tent had collapsed.
Prashant Kumar, director-general of police in Uttar Pradesh, reported that at least 116 individuals, primarily women and children, perished in the incident. Senior police officer Shalabh Mathur added that over 80 people were injured and transported to hospitals.
Distressed relatives were seen mourning as the bodies, covered in white sheets, were lined up on stretchers at a local hospital. Additional victims were brought in by bus, their bodies lying on the seats.
Police officer Rajesh Singh noted that overcrowding was likely a factor, with the event in Hathras district attracting about 15,000 attendees, despite organizers having permission for only 5,000. The Hindu preacher leading the event, a former police officer, has conducted similar gatherings over the past two decades.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the victims’ families and assured that the federal government was collaborating with state authorities to assist the injured.
Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, described the incident as “heart-wrenching” in a post on social media platform X, and confirmed that an investigation was underway.
Stampedes at religious events are not uncommon in India. In 2013, a similar incident during a Hindu festival in Madhya Pradesh resulted in at least 115 deaths. In 2011, over 100 Hindu devotees died in a crush at a religious festival in Kerala.
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