By Sakeenah Abdullateef
A devastating stampede at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India has claimed the lives of at least 121 people, with most of the victims being women.
The tragedy occurred on Tuesday in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh state, approximately 200 kilometers from the Indian capital, New Delhi.
Despite permission being granted for only 80,000 attendees, a staggering 250,000 people converged on the event, leading to chaotic scenes that culminated in the deadly stampede. Doctors at a district hospital treating the victims reported that most of the deaths resulted from suffocation.
“The injured are fewer because… if you get caught in a stampede, the injuries will mostly be fractures, scratches, or body pain, so most people got up and left,” said Neeta Jain, in charge of the hospital’s emergency ward.
According to state authorities, 112 women and seven children were among the 121 deceased, while 31 people were injured.
The stampede occurred as the preacher, Suraj Pal Singh, also known as ‘Bhole Baba’, was leaving the event in his car, sparking a frenzied rush by thousands of devotees. Many were crushed or trampled, with some falling in an adjacent field of slush and mud.
The tragedy has raised questions about the lack of adequate safety measures and crowd control. District police officials were not immediately available for comment.
