HATHRAS, 2 July 2024– A devastating stampede at a Hindu religious ceremony in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, has resulted in the deaths of 107 people, with many others injured. The tragic event occurred on Tuesday, July 2, during a 'satsang' ceremony dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The chaos ensued as the 'satsang' ceremony, attended by thousands, concluded. In the rush to exit the venue in Rativanpur village, a stampede occurred, primarily affecting women and children. According to NDTV, many victims were trampled in the panic that followed. 

Local authorities have mobilized quickly in response to the disaster. Rajesh Kumar Singh, SSP of Itahar, confirmed that most of the deceased were women and children. Emergency services transported the injured, many unconscious, to hospitals using trucks and buses.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the victims' families and ordered a high-level investigation into the incident. He also directed officials to provide immediate assistance at the site and announced an inquiry led by ADG Agra and the Aligarh police commissioner. State ministers Laxminarayan Chaudhary and Sandeep Singh have been dispatched to the affected area, and the DGP of State Police is already on the scene.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow over the tragedy, offering condolences to the families of the deceased and announcing compensation. He has instructed the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate the incident thoroughly and to take swift action.

The local community has voiced concerns about the adequacy of the emergency response. Residents reported a shortage of doctors at the hospitals receiving the injured and accused the police and administration of negligence in handling the aftermath of the incident.

This incident brings back memories of a similar uproar in Hathras on September 14, 2020, when the gang-rape of a Dalit girl caused nationwide outrage. 

On Tuesday, a satsang ceremony of Shiv Puja was held at Rativanpur in Hathras, attended by thousands. At the end of the ceremony, there was sudden chaos as many tried to leave the venue in a hurry. This led to the stampede where many lost their lives under the pressure of the crowd. 

Rajesh Kumar Singh stated, “This tragic incident took place during the Bholebaba Satsang ceremony in Phulrai village under Sikandrarao police station of Hathras district. Most of the recovered bodies were women and children.”

Aligarh IG mentioned that the exact cause of the incident is not yet known. The religious ceremony dedicated to Lord Shiva was organized in Rativanpur, and at the end of the ceremony, the hustle and bustle led to the loss of many lives. Most of the deceased are residents of Hathras and Itah.

Local residents complained about the lack of adequate medical facilities and the shortage of doctors at the hospitals. They also expressed their anger about the police-administration’s response to the incident.

The tragedy underscores the need for better crowd management and emergency preparedness at large public gatherings to prevent such incidents in the future.