107 people killed in stampede at religious event in Hathras
At least 107 people, mostly women, died in a stampede during a religious event in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district on Tuesday. The tragedy took place while a religious preacher was addressing his followers in a specially erected tent in Rati Bhanpur village, located in the Sikandra Rau area of Hathras district. The police reported that, initially, it seems suffocation at the venue caused discomfort among the attendees of the "satsang." This discomfort led to people rushing out, triggering a stampede.
Toll expected to go up
"It was a satsang meeting of Bhole Baba, a religious preacher. A temporary permission was granted for gathering at the spot on the border of Etah and Hathras district on Tuesday afternoon," Inspector General (Aligarh Range) Shalabh Mathur said. Reports indicate that the toll may go up. According to one of the survivors, the stampede took place when the religious event ended, and everyone was rushing to leave the place.
Committee set up to probe response
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the bereaved families and wished for a speedy recovery of the injured. He directed district administration officials to expedite relief work and ensure proper treatment for the injured. A committee led by ADG Agra and Commissioner Aligarh has been set up to probe the incident. Further details will become clear after an investigation, officials said.
