At least 121 people died in a stampede at a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, making it one of the deadliest such incidents in recent years. Authorities are investigating the causes of the stampede, which is believed to have erupted as the event, led by self-styled Guru Bhole Baba, drew to a close on Tuesday.
While the exact cause of the panic remains unclear, authorities suspect that massive overcrowding, insufficient exits, poor weather conditions, and other factors contributed to the high death toll. Poor planning also played a significant role: approximately 250,000 people attended the event, which was only permitted for 80,000 and held in a tent set up in a muddy field.
Stampedes are common in India
Deadly crowd surges are fairly common in India, especially during religious festivals where huge gatherings, sometimes in the millions, are held in cramped areas with inadequate infrastructure and few safety measures. In the last 20 years, from 2003 to 2024 (including the Hathras incident), 1,376 people have died in stampedes at religious events. The deadliest incident occurred on January 25, 2005, when more than 340 devotees were killed and hundreds injured at the Mandhardevi temple in Satara district, Maharashtra, due to people falling on slippery stairs caused by breaking coconuts.
Even seemingly innocuous events, such as the free distribution of utensils, clothes, and food, have led to deadly stampedes. For example, on March 4, 2010, 63 people died at Kripalu Maharaj's Ram Janaki temple in Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, where people had gathered for free clothes and food.
Hathras Stampede: Baba Bhole Owns A Luxurious Aashram In Gwalior, Has A Colony Named After HimSanjay Srivastava, a disaster management expert, said that many religious events in India are organized without adequate preparations, crowd control measures, or even prior permission. "Often such functions are held so regularly that sometimes police don’t check whether guidelines are being followed," he said.
In India, religious functions are generally organized without prior permission. Even when permission is obtained, the guidelines are seldom followed. In cases where written permission is required, do's and don'ts are clearly mentioned, including the arrangement of fire extinguishers, large tanks of water, and sand. The forms ask organizers how much crowd is expected, but these requirements are often not taken seriously, and the police rarely check compliance.
Moreover, religious functions are organized so regularly that police do not always ensure guidelines are followed. In makeshift tents, exits should be well-defined and open into open areas to prevent crowding at the exit gates. In Hathras, the function was held in a makeshift tent without ensuring multiple exit routes. Typically, there should be eight to ten well-marked exits opening into open areas, Srivastava said.
'Stampede Bodies Identified, Handed Over To Families,' Says Hathras District Magistrate Ashish KumarAccidents at Religious Events Due to Inadequate Arrangements
March 31, 2023: Thirty-six people died when a slab over an ancient stepwell collapsed during a havan on Ram Navami at a temple in Indore.
January 1, 2022: Twelve people died in a stampede at the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir.
July 14, 2015: A stampede at the Godavari River in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, resulted in 27 deaths.
October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people died during Dussehra celebrations at Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
October 13, 2013: A rumor about a collapsing bridge during the Navratri festival near Ratangarh temple in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh, led to a stampede, killing 115 people.
November 19, 2012: A temporary bridge collapse during Chhath Puja in Patna caused 20 deaths.
November 8, 2011: A stampede at Har Ki Pauri Ghat in Haridwar killed at least 20 people.
January 14, 2011: A jeep collision with Sabarimala pilgrims in Idukki district, Kerala, caused a stampede that killed 104 people.
March 4, 2010: Sixty-three people died at Kripalu Maharaj's Ram Janaki temple in Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh.
September 30, 2008: A bomb rumor at Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, led to a stampede, killing 250 devotees.
August 3, 2008: A rumor of a rockfall at Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, caused a stampede that killed 162 people.
January 25, 2005: Over 340 devotees were killed at Mandhardevi temple in Satara district, Maharashtra.
August 27, 2003: A stampede at the Kumbh Mela in Nasik, Maharashtra, resulted in 39 deaths.
