At least 60 people have died and numerous others have been injured following a stampede at a religious gathering of thousands in Uttar Pradesh, India, officials said on Tuesday.
Over 150 people were taken to hospitals after the crush in a village in Hathras district, according to medical official Umesh Tripathi. He reported that 60 of the deceased were women and anticipated the death toll to increase.
The stampede occurred as attendees attempted to leave an event featuring a spiritual figure known as Bhole Baba, local media reported.
Police officer Rajesh Singh stated that overcrowding might have contributed to the incident. Initial reports indicated that over 15,000 people had assembled for the event, which was authorized to accommodate approximately 5,000 attendees.
A survivor, identified only as Jyoti, recounted to local media that the stampede unfolded rapidly as the event concluded. “Everyone was rushing to leave … There was no escape route, and people were falling on top of each other,” she described.
Bodies were being transported to hospitals and morgues by trucks and private vehicles, government official Matadin Saroj confirmed.
The stampede took place about 217 miles southwest of the state capital Lucknow.
Stampedes are relatively common occurrences during Indian religious festivals, where vast crowds congregate in confined spaces with limited safety measures.