In a tragic turn of events, a deadly stampede occurred on Tuesday during a satsang organized by preacher Bhole Baba in the Sikandrarao area of Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh. The incident has led to a heartbreaking scene at the local government hospital, where bodies are being kept on ice slabs. Mourning relatives of the victims waited outside in the night drizzle, eager to take their loved ones home. Official reports state that approximately 116 people lost their lives in the stampede, including 108 women, seven children, and one man.

Families Searching for Missing Members

The stampede took place around 3:30 pm as Bhole Baba was leaving the venue in Pulrai village. The chaotic aftermath saw many people searching for their missing family members late into the night at the Sikandrarao Community Health Centre (CHC), the nearest health facility from the stampede site.

Identifying the Deceased

Rajesh from Kasganj district was among those looking for loved ones. He was searching for his mother, while Shivam was looking for his aunt. Both carried mobile phones with pictures of their relatives. “I saw my mother’s picture on a news channel and recognized her. She had come here to attend the satsang along with two dozen others from our village,” Rajesh said. Meanwhile, Anshu and Pawan Kumar waited in their small pick-up truck loaded with empty milk containers, hoping to find their cousin’s missing father, Gopal Singh (40).

Transporting the Injured and Deceased

Earlier in the day, devastating scenes were witnessed outside the Sikandrarao trauma centre, where victims were brought in ambulances, trucks, and cars. A woman was seen crying among five or six bodies in a truck, pleading for help to take her daughter’s body out of the vehicle. An agitated youth outside the hospital reported that there were about 100-200 casualties and only one doctor available, with no oxygen facility. “Some people were still breathing but lacked proper treatment,” he said.

Government Response

The tragic incident has prompted a response from the Uttar Pradesh government. Minister Shri Lakshmi Narayan Chaudhary and Shri Sandeep Singh have been dispatched to the site. The state’s Chief Secretary and Director General of Police have been instructed to reach the location. An investigation team led by the ADG, Agra, and the Commissioner, Aligarh, has been formed to investigate the causes of the stampede.

Prayers are being offered for the departed souls, and efforts are underway to provide relief and support to the grieving families. The incident has left the community in shock, with many calling for better crowd management and safety measures at large gatherings.