Nearly 116 people killed in stampede at Hindu religious gathering in India

New York: Nearly 116 people lost their lives at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India, marking the worst tragedy of its kind in over a decade, according to government officials.

A large crowd had assembled near the city of Hathras for a sermon by a well-known preacher, but chaos ensued as a fierce dust storm struck while people were leaving. Many were trampled or crushed, with some falling into a roadside drain in the confusion.

Chaitra V, the divisional commissioner of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, stated, “The attendees were exiting the venue when a dust storm blinded their vision, leading to a melee and the subsequent tragic incident.” She emphasized the focus on providing relief and medical aid to the victims.

Senior police officer Shalabh Mathur indicated that the crowd exceeded the permitted number of attendees. Chaitra later confirmed that the death toll had reached 116, with at least 18 others injured.

Most of the deceased were women, according to state chief medical officer Umesh Kumar Tripathi, who also reported that many injured individuals were hospitalized. Lines of ambulances transported the injured to medical facilities.

Outside a mortuary in the town of Etah, wailing relatives gathered, seeking news of their loved ones.

Deadly incidents during major religious festivals in India are common, with millions of devotees making pilgrimages to holy sites. One attendee, Shakuntala, recounted, “When the sermon finished, everyone started running out. People fell in a drain by the road. They started falling one on top of the other and got crushed to death.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced compensation of $2,400 for the families of those who died and $600 for the injured. He expressed his condolences and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured on social media.

President Droupadi Murmu described the deaths as "heart-rending" and offered her deepest condolences. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed his condolences and ordered an investigation into the incident.

Religious gatherings in India have a history of deadly incidents due to poor crowd management and safety lapses. Past tragedies include a 2016 explosion at a temple in Kerala that killed 112 people, a 2013 stampede in Madhya Pradesh that resulted in 115 deaths, and a 2008 stampede at a temple in Jodhpur that killed 224 pilgrims and injured over 400.