Hathras, India – A tragic stampede at a religious festival in northern India resulted in at least 121 deaths, with five individuals passing away on Wednesday morning alone. Local official Manish Chaudhry reported that 28 people were still receiving treatment in a hospital following the chaotic event. Stampedes at Indian religious gatherings, where large crowds gather in confined spaces with inadequate infrastructure and safety measures, are unfortunately not uncommon.
Authorities confirmed that approximately a quarter of a million people attended the event on Tuesday, despite the venue only being permitted to host 80,000 individuals. The lack of clarity regarding the exact number of attendees who entered the massive tent erected in a muddy field in Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh, emphasized the overwhelming overcrowding and potential dangers inherent in the gathering.
As the preacher descended from the stage, a rush of devotees towards him sparked panic and chaos. Reports indicated that volunteers struggled to manage the surge, leading to thousands of people thronging the exits and causing a fatal crush as many slipped on the muddy terrain. The majority of the deceased were women.
Following the tragic incident, authorities initiated an investigation and began searching for the preacher and other organizers, whose current whereabouts remain unknown. The state governor has ordered a thorough inquiry by a retired judge into the events that transpired at the festival. While culpable homicide charges have been filed against two organizers, the preacher has been excluded from the case.
Witnesses, such as Binod Sokhna, who lost multiple family members in the stampede, expressed profound grief and disbelief at the tragic loss. He shared his emotional turmoil while leaving the morgue, recounting the heartbreaking news he received from his son regarding the fatalities within his family.
Experts and disaster management professionals highlighted the safety violations that occurred at the event, emphasizing the importance of multiple exit paths in crowded gatherings to prevent such disastrous outcomes in the future. The incident, which led to a poignant spectacle at local hospitals with grieving relatives and transported victims, underscored the pressing need for improved safety measures at religious events and festivals across India.
It is crucial for authorities to address the systemic issues that contributed to the deadly stampede in order to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. The heartbreaking loss of life at the festival serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved crowd management and safety protocols at public gatherings.