Hathras Stampede: At least 107 people, predominantly women, lost their lives in a stampede at a religious event in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district on Tuesday evening, according to senior state police officers
Incident Details
Additional Director General (Agra Zone) Anupam Kulshrestha’s office confirmed that most of the 107 victims were women. The exact cause of the Hathras Stampede remains unclear. Initial reports suggest that the chaos began when attendees rushed out of the venue following the conclusion of the congregation led by religious preacher Bhole Baba.
Inspector General of Aligarh Range, Shalabh Mathur, noted that preliminary investigations indicate that the Hathras Stampede might have been triggered by people feeling suffocated due to hot and humid weather conditions. When the ‘satsang’ ended, the attendees hurriedly exited the enclosure, leading to the tragic incident that claimed the lives of mostly women and children.
Eyewitness Account
Jyoti, a teenager who was hospitalized in neighboring Etah district, described the panic as everyone tried to leave the enclosure quickly. “There was no other way out, and people fell on each other, causing the stampede,” she said. Jyoti mentioned that motorcycles parked outside the venue blocked her exit, resulting in many people fainting and some dying. She was brought to the hospital along with her mother.
Official Response
The religious event had been granted permission by authorities. Anupam Kulshrestha mentioned that bodies were being transported to Etah district hospital for autopsies and necessary procedures were being followed.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured. He stated that a First Information Report (FIR) would be filed against the event organizers, and stringent action would be taken against them.
Government Action
UP government ministers Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary and Sandeep Singh were dispatched to the incident site. The Chief Minister also directed Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Director General of Police Prashant Kumar to visit the scene.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Chief Minister expressed his condolences and emphasized the government’s commitment to providing assistance and ensuring a thorough investigation.
#UPCM @myogiadityanath ने जनपद हाथरस में हुए हादसे में मृतकों के शोक संतप्त परिजनों के प्रति संवेदना व्यक्त की है। साथ ही घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना की है।
उन्होंने जिला प्रशासन के अधिकारियों को घायलों को तत्काल अस्पताल पहुंचाकर उनके समुचित उपचार कराने और मौके पर राहत…
— CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) July 2, 2024
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