Breaking News
At least 60 people have died and dozens have been injured in a stampede at a religious event in Uttar Pradesh, a northern state in India, according to authorities.
The incident occurred on Tuesday in a village in Hathras district, roughly 200km (125 miles) southeast of New Delhi, the national capital. Government official Ashish Kumar informed The Associated Press that at least 60 bodies had been taken to district mortuaries.
“There is a possibility that the toll may go up,” stated Manish Chikara, a district police spokesperson, in a phone interview with Reuters news agency.
The stampede happened as attendees were rushing to leave after an event with a religious leader named Bhole Baba, as reported by local media.
Unverified videos on social media showed bodies lying on the ground outside a local hospital. Hathras police reported that more than 150 injured people were admitted to hospitals following the incident.
Police officer Rajesh Singh mentioned that overcrowding might have contributed to the stampede. Initial reports indicated that over 15,000 people had gathered for the event, despite having permission for only about 5,000 attendees.
One survivor, Jyoti, who goes by only her first name, told local media that the stampede occurred rapidly once the event concluded.
“Everyone was in a rush to leave … There was no way out and people were falling on each other,” she recounted. State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered an investigation into the incident.
“Instructions have been given to the concerned officials to conduct relief and rescue operations on a war footing and to provide proper treatment to the injured,” he posted on X.
Deadly accidents are common at places of worship in India during major religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas with insufficient safety measures.
