Death Toll Surpasses 100 During Religious Festival in India

At least 107 people have died during a religious event in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, India, reports the Hindustan Times citing local police. Most of the victims were women.

The incident occurred at the Satsang religious gathering, shortly after a sermon by preacher Bhol Baba, on the border of the Etah and Hathras districts. According to police, the gathering was held in a cramped room, leading to discomfort among attendees.

When people began to disperse, a stampede ensued. “There was no way out, and everyone was in a rush. Many were losing consciousness, and others were dying,” the publication quoted a victim's statement.

The exact cause of the incident is still unknown. The state's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences and instructed officials to expedite the rescue operations and determine the cause of the event. According to India Today, Adityanath has also ordered financial assistance to be provided to the families of the deceased and injured.

In June, over a thousand people died during Hajj (the Muslim pilgrimage) in Saudi Arabia, with most casualties attributed to heat. An Egyptian official overseeing Hajj was quoted explaining the death toll was due to the high number of unregistered pilgrims, which led to chaos in the camps assisting the faithful and disrupted the orderly conduct of services.