In one of the most devastating stampedes in recent years, at least 116 people, including many women and children, lost their lives during a Hindu religious gathering in Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday. The incident underscores the pressing need for better crowd management at large-scale events in India.
The Incident
The tragedy unfolded in a village approximately 200 kilometers southeast of New Delhi. Thousands had gathered to participate in the event despite the sweltering late afternoon temperatures. According to Ashish Kumar, the district administrator, the stampede occurred as people attempted to exit the venue.
“The incident happened due to overcrowding at the time when people were trying to leave the venue,” Kumar stated to reporters.
Chaitra V., another senior state official, provided additional context, noting that the combination of wet mud and the extreme heat may have contributed to the chaos. “There was wet mud at one place where people may have slipped. Also because of the heat, people may have made their way to the spot where water was kept and that could have caused the incident as well,” she explained.
Visuals from the Scene
Videos circulating on social media and recorded by news agency ANI show the harrowing aftermath. Bodies were seen piled into the back of trucks, with personal belongings such as purses, bags, and mobile phones strewn across the ground, covered in dust. Attendees were observed sorting through these items, searching for their lost possessions.
One particularly striking video showed women clinging to bamboo poles supporting the event’s canopy, trying to get a better view above the massive crowd. The authenticity of these videos could not be immediately verified by Reuters.
Eyewitness Accounts
Suresh Chandra, a witness, described the scene as chaotic. “There must have been about 50,000 people…at the gate on the highway, some people were going left and some people were going right, the stampede was caused in that confusion,” he said.
Seema, another attendee who traveled nearly 60 kilometers to participate, recounted her experience. She was leaving the venue with three relatives when the stampede began, resulting in the death of two of her companions.
Historical Context and Response
India has a history of tragic incidents at large religious gatherings due to poor crowd management. Previous stampedes have resulted in significant loss of life, such as the 2013 stampede in central India that killed 115 people, the 2008 incident with nearly 250 fatalities, and the 2005 tragedy in Maharashtra that claimed over 340 lives.
In response to the Hathras incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered an investigation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and announced a compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,400) for the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees for the injured.
The Hathras stampede serves as a grim reminder of the need for stringent measures and robust planning to ensure the safety of participants at large public events in India.
