Additional Coverage:
- 116 reported dead after stampede at religious event in India (newsbreak.com)
On July 2, a tragic stampede occurred at a Hindu religious event in Rati Bhanpur village, Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, India, resulting in the deaths of at least 116 people, local authorities reported. The incident happened when a large number of attendees, seeking shade from the hot sun under tents, rushed to exit after a prayer meeting led by a Hindu religious guru concluded.
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as the crowd moved to leave. “I heard screams, and suddenly people were tumbling over each other,” one witness shared with the BBC. Another recounted how some individuals fell into a roadside drain, leading to further fatalities as more people fell over them.
Local police confirmed the death toll mostly includes women and are currently investigating the exact causes of the stampede. In response to the tragedy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed local officials to ensure quick hospitalization of the injured and to accelerate relief efforts.
Transportation to local hospitals involved a variety of vehicles, including pickups, tuk-tuks, and motorcycles. Authorities acknowledged the event’s overcrowding and noted that such accidents are not uncommon during large religious gatherings in the region. This incident calls back to previous tragedies, including a 2018 stampede where 60 people died and another in 2013 that claimed 115 lives.
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- 116 reported dead after stampede at religious event in India (newsbreak.com)