A devastating stampede at a Hindu religious gathering near Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, resulted in nearly 100 deaths on Tuesday, with many others injured. The incident occurred as a large crowd was leaving a sermon by a popular preacher.
The chaos began when a fierce dust storm hit the area, blinding the vision of the attendees and sparking panic. Many people were crushed or trampled, with some falling into a roadside drain.
“We have confirmed 97 deaths so far and are focusing on providing relief and medical aid for the victims,” Chaitra V., divisional commissioner of Aligarh, told AFP. She explained that the dust storm led to a melee as attendees exited the venue.
Most of the deceased were women, according to state chief medical officer Umesh Kumar Tripathi, who reported that many injured individuals have been admitted to hospitals. Lines of ambulances transported the injured to nearby medical facilities, while distraught families gathered outside a mortuary in Etah seeking news of their relatives.
Eyewitnesses described the harrowing scene. “When the sermon finished, everyone started running out,” said Shakuntala, who spoke to the Press Trust of India. “People fell in a drain by the road. They started falling one on top of the other and got crushed to death.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and announced compensation of $2,400 for the families of the deceased and $600 for the injured. “My condolences are with those who have lost their loved ones… I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured,” Modi wrote on social media platform X.
President Droupadi Murmu also offered her deepest condolences, calling the deaths “heart-rending.”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and directed district administration officials to ensure prompt medical care for the injured and expedite relief efforts. An investigation into the incident has been ordered.
Religious gatherings in India have a grim history of deadly incidents due to poor crowd management and safety lapses. Previous tragedies include a 2016 explosion at a temple in Kerala that killed 112 people and a 2013 stampede in Madhya Pradesh that left 115 dead.
This latest incident underscores the urgent need for improved safety measures at large public gatherings to prevent such heartbreaking losses in the future.
