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5 July 2024
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More than 100 people killed in stampede at religious gathering in northern India
On 2 July 2024, a stampede occurred at the conclusion of a Hindu religious event in the village of Mughal Garhi in Hathras district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, south-east of Delhi. The incident resulted in the deaths of 123 people, most of whom were women and children and the hospitalisation of at least 150 others. The incident occurred when about 250 000 people showed up for the event, which had permission for at most 80 000. A responding police officer also died of a heart attack.
The incident resulted in the deaths of 123 people, most of whom were women and children and the hospitalisation of at least 150 others. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was tasked with the rescue operations.
A satsang (a Hindu religious event) was organised in the village of Mughal Garhi in Hathras district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh by the Sri Jagar Guru Baba organisation, founded by a local preacher, Suraj Pal. A large tent had been erected in a muddy paddy field, about 500m from a highway.
The stampede occurred at the conclusion of the event, when people attempted to leave the premises. Survivors have described how the disaster unfolded as they tried to leave the event in Phulrai village.
It is not yet clear what led to the crush. Witnesses said the exit was too narrow and when people were leaving, a fierce dust storm led to confusion and panic, causing many people to become trampled.
An eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, said everything was "going fine", until "all of a sudden I heard screams and before I knew it, people were falling on each other". "Many were crushed and I couldn't do much. I am just lucky to have survived."
"When the sermon finished, everyone started running out," a woman named only as Shakuntala told the Press Trust of India news agency. "People fell in a drain by the road. They started falling one on top of the other and got crushed to death."
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹200 000 (US$2 400) for the families of the dead and ₹50 000 (US$600) for the injured. He also instructed officials to investigate the cause of the incident.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the disaster.[28] The ambassadors of China, France and Germany also expressed condolences.
Sources: BBC News, Sky News,
The incident resulted in the deaths of 123 people, most of whom were women and children and the hospitalisation of at least 150 others. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was tasked with the rescue operations.
A satsang (a Hindu religious event) was organised in the village of Mughal Garhi in Hathras district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh by the Sri Jagar Guru Baba organisation, founded by a local preacher, Suraj Pal. A large tent had been erected in a muddy paddy field, about 500m from a highway.
The stampede occurred at the conclusion of the event, when people attempted to leave the premises. Survivors have described how the disaster unfolded as they tried to leave the event in Phulrai village.
It is not yet clear what led to the crush. Witnesses said the exit was too narrow and when people were leaving, a fierce dust storm led to confusion and panic, causing many people to become trampled.
An eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, said everything was "going fine", until "all of a sudden I heard screams and before I knew it, people were falling on each other". "Many were crushed and I couldn't do much. I am just lucky to have survived."
"When the sermon finished, everyone started running out," a woman named only as Shakuntala told the Press Trust of India news agency. "People fell in a drain by the road. They started falling one on top of the other and got crushed to death."
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹200 000 (US$2 400) for the families of the dead and ₹50 000 (US$600) for the injured. He also instructed officials to investigate the cause of the incident.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the disaster.[28] The ambassadors of China, France and Germany also expressed condolences.
Sources: BBC News, Sky News,
