A tragic stampede occurred at a Hindu festival in India, resulting in over 100 fatalities.
According to local media reports on July 2, the incident occurred after the event ended at a Hindu worship site in the Hathras area, about 271 miles southwest of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.
The police speculate that the stampede was sparked when some participants, who were suffocating in the hot and humid event tent, started running to quickly exit after the event ended.
A witness told the local daily Hindustan Times, “There were countless people gathered at the scene of the accident, and it turned into a stampede as people fell because there were no exits.”
Most of the victims were women, and it is reported that some children were also included.
The exact number of casualties varies by media outlet, so a more accurate count is expected later.
With over 150 injuries reported, the number of fatalities may increase.
The police initially reported that the event had around 15,000 participants, which was three times the amount the organizers had permission for. They suggested that the excessive number of attendees might have been a cause of the tragedy.
The state government immediately formed an investigation committee upon hearing news of the accident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and the injured.
