Over 80 individuals lost their lives in a tragic stampede following a satsang in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday. According to eyewitness accounts, the stampede occurred as people were leaving the religious congregation.
Shakuntala, an eyewitness, recounted the harrowing incident, describing how people tumbled one after another into a drain as they exited the satsang. She explained, “After the satsang ended, everyone came out. Outside, the road was elevated with a drain below. One after the other, people started falling into it. Some people got crushed.”
Footage from the scene depicted victims, both deceased and injured, being transported to the hospital. Another eyewitness mentioned that people standing by the roadside were pushed by the departing crowd, causing them to fall into the drain. He added, "They fell on top of each other and couldn’t get out. Twenty to twenty-five people died on the spot."
Mahesh Chandra, a member of the organizing committee for the satsang, attributed the stampede to administrative failures. Speaking to India Today, he noted that they had received permission to hold the satsang. He lamented, "People were buried in the mud, and the crowd ran, and there was no one to control them."
A video showed the massive gathering for the satsang led by Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as Sakar Vishwa Hari or Bhole Baba.
In response to the tragedy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. He instructed officials to promptly arrive at the accident site and implement relief measures.
