Uttar Pradesh: Stampede Breaks Out At Hathras During A Satsang Leaving At Least 87 Dead, Includes Women And Children

A tragic incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, where at least 87 people, including women and children, were killed in a stampede on Tuesday (2 July) as per Chaitra V, Commissioner Aligarh.

The stampede took place during a 'satsang' (prayer meeting) attended by thousands. Visuals from the Community Health Centre showed several bodies being transported in buses and tempos, with grieving relatives present.

Hathras District Magistrate Ashish Kumar reported that, according to the community health centre, 50-60 people were killed, while officials in Etah district confirmed an additional 27 deaths.

Kumar stated, "The stampede broke out in Phulrai village within the Sikandra Rao police station limits in Hathras. The injured are being taken to hospitals. Doctors at the community health centre have told me 50-60 people have died.

This was a private event and permission had been given by the sub-divisional magistrate. Security arrangements were made by the administration but the other arrangements were supposed to be made by the organisers," Kumar added.

Chief Medical Officer of Etah, Dr Umesh Kumar Tripathi, confirmed receiving 27 bodies, including 25 females and two males. Some injured individuals have also been hospitalised.

Senior Superintendent of Police in Etah, Rajesh Kumar, noted that three children were among those killed.

A woman attending the 'satsang' mentioned that it was organised in honor of a local guru, Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari, and that the stampede broke out as the crowd was dispersing.

A compensation of Rs 2 lakh each has been announced for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Officials stated that a case will be filed against the organisers.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a post on X, directed officials to conduct relief and rescue operations on a war footing and to ensure proper treatment for the injured.

State ministers Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary and Sandeep Singh, along with the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, have been dispatched to the village.

Expressing his condolences, Adityanath said a committee, headed by the Additional Director General of Police, Agra, and the Aligarh Commissioner, has been established to investigate the incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too expressed his condolences to the victims' families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. PM Modi stated that the Centre is providing all possible assistance to the Uttar Pradesh government.

President Droupadi Murmu also expressed her sorrow on X, calling the incident heart-wrenching. "The news of the death of many devotees, including women and children, in the accident in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh is heart-rending. I express my deepest condolences to those who lost their family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," she posted in Hindi.