Rush for blessings led to stampede: Eyewitnesses say as toll rises to 121

The scene of the stampede at a religious gathering or Satsang that killed 116 people, mostly women, in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras was deserted by Tuesday night with sandals, slippers, shoes, handbags, purses, utensils, and clothes strewn across a slippery area spread over 200-300 metres. Workers were removing the generators and other equipment installed for the congregation. By around 11.30pm, the site was almost cleared with only iron poles for holding tent canopies remaining at the site.

Hathras residents said a committee of six organisers was constituted to make arrangements for the Satsang of Baba Narayan Hari, who is also known as Saakar Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba, at a slope near a highway.

Gopal Kumar, an eyewitness, said the gathering ended around 2pm. “He [the Baba] entered and exited the site from a designated route, bypassing the gathering of women, men, and children. There were vehicles all around and a portion of the highway was almost jammed with devotees and vehicles,” said Kumar.

He said as the Baba’s vehicle reached the highway, hundreds of devotees rushed towards his car for charan dhul (dust of his feet) and to get his blessings. “A huge crowd rushed towards the highway and many of them could not climb up and slipped… as devotees fell, others rushing towards the highway did not bother and crushed them under their feet while trying to follow the Baba’s car. This led to the stampede and those who fell could not get up… they died and many of these were women.”

Urmila Devi, who attended the gathering, said the Baba earlier announced from the dais that the gathering had swelled to about 440000 and people should be cautious while returning home. “The site had only one exit towards the highway… those who fell could not get up. They were overrun by the crowd rushing towards the highway to get the Baba’s blessings.”

Locals said the organising committee took the site on rent from farmers and preparations for the event began 10 days back. “Police, a fire tender, and an ambulance were deployed at the site but the crowd swelled when the Satsang started. The organisers were managing the crowd at the site,” said Kumar.

Prema Devi, a devotee undergoing treatment at Hathras district hospital, said the Baba was going in his vehicle and devotees, mostly women, were following him to touch his feet. “There was a frenzy among the crowd to get a glimpse of Baba… I also slipped. I held tight to my grandson, Lavi, 5, to protect him,” Prema Devi said.

A doctor at a local community health centre said 96 people were declared dead there and 91 of them were women. “It was an arduous and painful task and I wish that I no more have to declare dead such a huge number of people ever in my life… The injured and bodies arrived in e-rickshaws, ambulances, police vans, mini trucks, etc.”

Uttar Pradesh minister Asim Arun, who visited the district hospital around 2.30am on Wednesday, cited eyewitnesses and said the devotees rushed towards the vehicle of the baba to take the charan dhul as per their beliefs. “This rush possibly led to the stampede. An investigation is underway. An inquiry committee is also probing administrative lapses on the part of organisers and even officials. Anyone found responsible will not be spared and strict action will be taken.”

He said the incident has highlighted the importance of strengthening the standard operating procedures and addressing the shortcomings in granting permissions for religious gatherings. “We have identified the bodies of most of the victims but about 20 remained unidentified. We have asked officials to get these identified at the earliest with the help of photographs and inform their families.”