A tragic stampede occurred at a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of at least 116 individuals, including women and children. The incident took place during a ‘satsang’ held in honor of local guru Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari, attended by approximately 50,000 people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia from PMNRF for the families of each deceased person, and Rs 50,000 for each injured individual.
According to a witness, following the conclusion of the ‘satsang’, people began walking outside and accidentally fell into a drain located at the edge of a raised road, leading to panic and chaos.
Bhole Baba
Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari, hails from Uttar Pradesh and previously worked for the Intelligence Bureau (IB). He resigned from his position 26 years ago to pursue religious preaching.
Bhole Baba commands a large following across Western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi, numbering in the millions.
What is known about the Hathras stampede so far?
- A policeman from the Quick Response Team (QRT) collapsed due to heat and passed away while receiving medical treatment. “Constable Ravi Kumar, posted at Awagarh police station, was on QRT (Quick Response Team) duty since June 17. He fainted due to heat, following which he was brought to the district hospital immediately. He passed away while undergoing treatment,” said Circle Officer Vikrant Dwivedi.
- Hathras DM Ashish Kumar stated that the event, organized by Dev Prakash Madhukar, Mahesh Chandra, Anar Singh, Sanju Yadav, Chandra Dev, and Ram Prakash, received permission from the SDM.
- An eyewitness of the incident informed PTI, “After the ‘satsang’ ended, everyone came out. Outside, the road was built at a height with a drain below. One after the other, people started falling into it. Some people got crushed.”
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath acknowledged the incident and directed the formation of a committee to investigate it.
- President Droupadi Murmu used a microblogging platform (site X) to express her wishes for the swift recovery of those injured in the incident. “The news of the death of many devotees including women and children in the accident in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh is heart-rending. I express my deepest condolences to those who lost their family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” the President wrote.
- During his response on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister referred to the Hathras incident and assured that the central government is maintaining regular communication with the state government to provide assistance to the victims in every possible manner.
- “There are reports of many people dying in the stampede in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. I express my condolences to those who lost their lives in this accident. I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured. The administration is engaged in relief and rescue work under the supervision of the state government. Senior officials of the central government are in constant touch with the Uttar Pradesh government. I assure everyone through this House that the victims will be helped in every way,” said PM Modi in Lok Sabha.