Number of people who died in a stampede rises to 121
In India, the number of people who died during a mass panic at a Hindu festival, according to local authorities, has risen to 121. The disaster management center of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh announced the list of the dead on a Wednesday. According to a police report, over 250,000 people participated in the event - more than three times the 80,000 for whom permission was granted.
The mass panic occurred on Tuesday after a popular preacher gave a sermon in Hathras, south of New Delhi. Witnesses and local media reported that the victims were trampled or crushed to death. The victims were mostly women.
Hours after the tragic incident, discarded clothing and lost shoes were scattered on the muddy event grounds, an open field next to a highway. In a makeshift hall in Hathras, several unidentified bodies lay. The 35-year-old farmer Ram Nivas said he was still looking for his bride-to-be Rumla, who had been missing since the incident. He had visited all the nearby hospitals at night. "We just hope she's still alive," he added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a compensation of approximately 2240 Euros for the families of the deceased and 560 Euros for the injured in the "tragic incident".
While the tragedy unfolded during the Hindu festival, a number of people were caught in the mass panic. Despite participating in the event being permitted for only 80,000 individuals, over twice that number attended, contributing to the chaotic situation. Following the incident, authorities in India reported an unfortunate surge in the number of casualties, reaching 121 individuals.
