Nearly 200 kilometers from Delhi, in a village in Hathras, a spiritual gathering dedicated to the revered saint was underway. The event had been widely advertised, and for the site of this spiritual discourse, an open field in the village was chosen. Starting Tuesday morning, the vicinity of Hathras grappled with extreme heat and an exceptionally humid atmosphere. Amidst this muggy weather, about one hundred twenty-five thousand devotees from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Delhi gathered for the sermon. But chaos erupted soon after the revered saint departed, as the masses scrambled to leave or, to put it another way, to capture the dust from the saint's feet. It was a rush that shocked the entire nation.
2 July 2024, Afternoon at 1:45 pm, Fulrai Village, Hathras
Indeed, by Tuesday, the sermon had concluded without much incident. Now, with the saintly convoy on its retreat and facing an immense crowd on a single exit path, the devotees' rush was momentarily halted. To exacerbate the situation, many had already succumbed to fainting spells due to the oppressive heat and humidity. Their companions wished to evacuate them promptly, but the path was blocked for the sake of the departing convoy. And it was from this moment that the disastrous stampede began. Anyone who fell down was unable to rise again. And as is often the case, among those who perished beneath the thousands of feet were predominantly women, children, and the elderly. Lives were crushed, and soon the path where the convoy passed was lined with nothing but corpses.
The Descent of the Stampede's Spectre
Images of utter destruction, death, and outcry from Hathras have surfaced for the world to witness. A stampede during a spiritual gathering stirred up such havoc that numerous bodies lay strewn across the entire region. This could be attributed to negligence by the authorities or the organisers' poor judgment, but an overwhelming sense of mourning for the departed enveloped the area.
Source: aajtak
The Throng of Devotees
This event was in honor of the saint known as Bhole Baba, alias Narayan Hari Sarkar. The sheer size of the following can be understood by the fact that this single sermon attracted nearly 125,000 people. Amid the searing heat and the disorder, many had already found themselves on the verge of passing out. With the outbreak of the stampede, it was as though the clutches of death started to crush those present. Women and children became the most affected as they fell and were trampled by the fleeing crowd.
Humanity Writhing on the Scorching Earth
Bodies lay scattered everywhere, people writhing in agony, and from the sermon site to the roads, right up to the hospitals, humans struggled against the burning ground. The soul of anyone who witnessed such scenes would tremble with horror. When news of the mass casualties reached from the district administration to the state government, even Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was compelled into action. He dispatched numerous relief and rescue teams. ADG Agra and Commissioner Aligarh were ordered to investigate the entire incident. The State’s Chief Secretary, Manoj Kumar Singh, and DGP Prashant Kumar also set out for Hathras. Though the true cause of the stampede may only be uncovered post-investigation, several theories are currently being suggested.
Source: aajtak
Theories behind the Stampede - Theory #1
Some eyewitnesses suggest that panic ensued when a stray cow entered the scene, causing women and children to run in a frightened state. Amidst the attempt to escape, the panic spread rapidly, resulting in ongoing casualties.
Theories behind the Stampede - Theory #2
Another theory revolves around the convoy. Attendees returning from the sermon were halted to allow for the saint's convoy to pass. This led to altercations with the saint's security personnel, sparking violence and subsequently causing the stampede and the tragic events that followed.
Theories behind the Stampede - Theory #3
Another cited cause is the size of the hall's gate used for exiting. While arrangements included a tent for the sermon, some people were also seated in the open. However, when people attempted to leave through the small gate of the adjoining hall post-sermon, they fell over each other, which triggered the stampede.
Theories behind the Stampede - Theory #4
An additional theory has emerged. After the sermon, when the saint was departing, some female devotees tried to approach him. They ran towards him desperately which escalated into a stampede, resulting in many being trampled, struggling to breathe in the stifling heat, and succumbing to the chaos.
Source: aajtak
The Horrifying Scene at Hathras Hospital
Following the disaster, the situation in Hathras, all the way to the hospitals, was heart-wrenching. Bodies lay everywhere, survivors were searching for their loved ones, and those who couldn't find theirs sat despairingly on the ground. Those who found their relatives either dead or injured were also in a terrible state, as if the skies of sorrow had fallen upon them. A policeman named Ravi Yadav had a heart attack and passed away due to the shock of witnessing the carnage. Ravi was part of the Quick Response Team.
