Huge stampede at religious gathering in northern India
by Bhagyashree BarmanA tragic stampede occurred during a religious gathering led by Surajpal, also known as Bhole Baba, in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh.
The incident took place in Sikandrarao area, Hathras district on July 2.
Visuals showed bodies and casualties taken to emergency wards of the hospital on stretchers and officials giving interviews on a rough estimate of dead and injured people also mentioning enquiry will be started on this incident.
According to reports, the stampede resulted in the deaths of 121 devotees and left more than a hundred injured, causing widespread shock and grief.
The incident took place as Bhole Baba was exiting the satsang in Fullerai Mughalgarhi. Despite no FIR being registered against Bhole Baba himself, an FIR has been filed against his main aide, Dev Prakash Madhukar, and several unidentified organizers. The police clarified that the organizers had sought permission for a crowd of 80,000 people, but the actual attendance far exceeded this number, with over 1.25 lakh people present. This significant overcrowding is believed to have been a major factor contributing to the disaster.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Hathras immediately after the incident to assess the situation. He met with the injured at the district hospital and held a meeting with officials at the Hathras Police Line to discuss relief efforts. During his visit, CM Yogi announced financial assistance of two lakh rupees for the families of the deceased and fifty thousand rupees for those injured in the stampede. This gesture aims to provide some relief to the affected families during this difficult time.
Eyewitnesses provided harrowing accounts of the event, describing how the stampede occurred as devotees hurried to leave the satsang. The situation worsened when the crowd was halted to allow Baba’s convoy to pass. Many devotees wanted to catch a glimpse of Baba and even touch his car, which led to a sudden surge from the crowd behind. The marshy soil and pits near the road caused people at the front to fall, creating a domino effect. Many, especially women and children, were trampled in the chaos, leading to severe injuries and deaths.
Local authorities, including top police and administration officials from the Agra-Aligarh division, worked tirelessly into the night to provide medical treatment to the injured, assist families searching for their loved ones, and manage the relief operations. The efforts were hampered by rain, adding to the challenges faced by the rescue teams. Despite these difficulties, the Hathras administration issued helpline numbers to support those affected by the tragedy.
The bodies of the deceased were transported to the post-mortem house in Aligarh, where post-mortems are being conducted. This process is expected to provide more clarity on the exact causes of death and injuries sustained during the stampede.
This incident has raised serious questions about the management of large gatherings and the enforcement of crowd control measures. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are likely to take stringent actions against those found responsible for the gross mismanagement that led to this tragedy.