HATHRAS, INDIA – Thousands of devotees surged to get a closer glimpse of a Hindu preacher, pushing and jostling on slippery ground, moments before a crush at an overcrowded venue in India killed 121 people. The stampede has sparked a police hunt for the organizers.
The tragic incident occurred on July 2 in Phulrai Mughal Garhi village, Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh, where preacher Suraj Pal Singh, known as ‘Bhole Baba,’ was holding a monthly congregation.
Around 250,000 people had gathered in a canopied ground by a highway, though authorities had permitted only 80,000 attendees, according to police. The stampede resulted in 121 deaths and 31 injuries, with the deceased including 112 women and seven children.
Witnesses reported that trouble began after the hour-long afternoon congregation concluded, and the preacher was leaving the venue in his car. The entrance and exit were wide enough for 10 to 20 people to pass through simultaneously, but chaos ensued when thousands rushed to follow Baba’s car, attempting to get closer to him.
Mr. Sankalp Gautam, 22, recounted how his aunt, Kusum Devi, was injured in the stampede and is currently hospitalized. Devi had fallen and was crushed while trying to help one of her sisters who was struggling to get up. The sister later died in the hospital.
Farmer Lakhan Singh, whose house overlooks the venue, described the scene as a sea of people moving towards the preacher’s car, leading to a traffic jam on the highway. Singh said that many fell down a slope in a heap as Baba’s supporters tried to push the crowd away.
Another farmer, Rameshwar, who lives about 1.5km from the venue, witnessed groups of women trying to bow down to the preacher, causing a pile-up on both sides of the road. He and others lifted bodies and placed them in any available vehicles.
The authorities stated that the event was organized by a group of devotees but did not identify anyone. Investigations have been launched to determine what went wrong and if there were lapses by the authorities. Police are also trying to locate the preacher, with organizers’ mobile phones found to be switched off.
For Mr. Chedilal, 65, this was the third congregation he attended, this time with his daughter Ruby, 30, who traveled over 300km. He recounted how the event was proceeding well until chaos erupted when people started leaving. He described a big commotion in the women’s exit area, with someone spraying water from a pipe, making the ground muddy and causing people to fall.
Tragically, Mr. Chedilal could not locate his daughter all night. Her body was found at the district hospital the following morning.