📷 Image Credits: NDTV
A tragic incident shook Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras as a stampede during a religious ‘satsang’ claimed the lives of at least 87 people, including women and children. The stampede occurred at an event organized in honor of a local guru, Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Saakar Hari. The event turned disastrous as devotees, mostly women and children, suffocated in a rush to leave the venue, resulting in a heartbreaking loss of lives. The visuals from the scene showed a somber sight of bodies being transported to the Community Health Centre amid grieving relatives.
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, reacted promptly to the tragedy and ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu extended their heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and expressed prayers for the swift recovery of the injured. PM Modi ensured that the Centre provides full support to the state government in managing the aftermath of the stampede.
The Hathras District Magistrate, Ashish Kumar, confirmed the casualties, stating a count of 50-60 deceased individuals in the tragic incident. Additionally, officials in Etah district reported an additional 27 deaths, bringing the total toll to 87. The authorities mentioned that the stampede took place in Phulrai village, and the injured were being rushed to hospitals for medical attention.
As the nation mourns the loss of lives in this heartbreaking incident, a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured has been announced. Moreover, a probe committee led by the Additional Director General of Police, Agra, and the Aligarh Commissioner has been instituted to investigate the factors leading to the stampede and prevent such tragedies in the future. The tragedy has once again highlighted the importance of proper crowd management and safety measures at public gatherings to avert similar incidents in the future.
