In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, a stampede during a religious sermon claimed the lives of at least 121 individuals. The event, hosted by guru Bhole Baba in Hathras, attracted more than three times the number of attendees allowed by authorities. According to police reports, the stampede occurred after the cleric left the venue in his car and prompted a large crowd to rush towards him to touch his feet.
The chaos that ensued saw many people falling as the cleric’s staff tried to block the crowd. Those who attempted to escape by running into nearby fields slipped on the muddy ground, while staff with sticks prevented others from fleeing. Despite initial reports suggesting that only 40 people had died in the incident, subsequent investigations revealed that this figure was significantly higher due to misreporting by some media outlets.
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, ordered an investigation into the cause of the stampede and promised support for those affected. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences and promised assistance for those impacted. The police have registered a case against those responsible for organizing the event and are expected to arrest Guru Baba, although his whereabouts have not been disclosed yet.
Guru Baba is a former policeman turned self-proclaimed guru who has been conducting sermons in villages across India for several years. This tragic incident highlights concerns about safety measures being enforced at religious events and pilgrimage sites in India. Indian MP Rajesh Kumar Jha has called for stricter safety protocols to prevent further incidents from occurring.
The incident took place on January 3rd in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh where over 250,000 people gathered at a sermon hosted by guru Bhole Baba despite authorities limiting attendance to just over 75,000 people due to Covid-19 restrictions.
As soon as Bhole Baba left the stage in his car following his speech, thousands of devotees rushed towards him trying to touch his feet which led to chaos and resulted in a stampede claiming lives of at least 121 individuals.
According to eyewitnesses many people fell as Bhole Baba’s staff tried their best to control crowds but it proved futile as devotees were too eager
