Hathras Stampede: Families Await Autopsies As Bodies Lie On Ice Blocks

The Uttar Pradesh government announced that an FIR would be registered against the programme organisers.

Scores of bodies lay on ice blocks inside a government hospital on Tuesday night following a deadly stampede at a religious gathering in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh.

Relatives of the victims waited outside in the drizzle to take their loved ones' remains home. Officials reported 116 deaths, including 108 women and seven children.

Photo Credit: PTI

Rajesh from Kasganj district searched for his mother, while Shivam looked for his paternal aunt. Both carried mobile phones with pictures of their relatives. "I watched my mother's picture on a news channel and recognised her," Rajesh said. His mother had attended the event with about two dozen villagers.

Search for Missing Relatives

Anshu and Pabal Kumar waited near the Community Health Centre (CHC) in their small pick-up truck, hoping to find Gopal Singh, 40, the missing father of their cousin. "He went for the programme but hasn't returned home yet," Anshu said. Singh was not a follower of Baba but attended the event on an acquaintance's insistence.

Meena Devi lost her mother, Sudama Devi, 65, in the stampede. "It was drizzling in Sadiqpur where I live; otherwise, I had planned to go to the sangat with my mother," Meena said. She sat inconsolable outside the TB department of Bagla Combined District Hospital, where many bodies were kept.

Eyewitness Accounts

Shakuntala Devi, an eyewitness, said the stampede occurred as people were leaving the satsang venue. "Outside, there was a road built on a height over a drain. People fell atop each other," she said. Sonu Kumar added that around 10,000 people were present and rushed to touch Baba's feet as he left.

Another attendee mentioned that arrangements were inadequate for the crowd size. Kailash, standing outside the mortuary in Etah, said people fell due to slippery mud and were crushed by those coming from behind.

Emergency Response and Assistance

Workers and volunteers from RSS and Bajrang Dal stayed at the hospital since afternoon, distributing water packets and guiding victims' relatives through medical procedures. Many relatives were in shock and struggled to cope with the tragedy.

Aniket, a Bajrang Dal volunteer, noted that ambulances were insufficient for the number of bodies seen that day. "The number of ambulances was inadequate for the bodies we have seen here today," he said while standing guard at the TB Department building.

Official Statements and Investigations

A team led by Agra's additional director general of police and Aligarh's divisional commissioner will investigate the incident. The state government has asked for a report within 24 hours. District Magistrate Ashish Kumar stated it was a private function with permission granted by the sub-divisional magistrate.

The Uttar Pradesh government announced that an FIR would be registered against the programme organisers. The local administration provided security outside the venue while internal arrangements were managed by organisers.

Earlier in the day, heartbreaking scenes unfolded outside Sikandara Rao Trauma Centre as victims arrived in ambulances, trucks, and cars. A woman cried among several bodies in a truck, pleading for help to retrieve her daughter's body.

Santosh from Firozabad attended the satsang with his sister. He recounted how people ran for darshan after Hari Ji's arrival at noon. "There was a drain nearby, and some people fell in it," he said. He also noted that police presence at the site was relatively low.

Vinod Kumar Suryavanshi from Barse village lost his 72-year-old maternal aunt while his mother survived. "I have been here for three hours," he said as he waited for his aunt's son from Greater Noida. Suryavanshi described the stampede as unfortunate.

The stampede occurred around 3:30 pm when Baba was leaving Phulrai village near Sikandrarau area after a satsang session. Outside Sikandra Rao Community Health Centre, many continued searching for missing family members late into the night.

Rajesh wore a face mask as he made frantic inquiries with police officials inside the TB department about getting an ambulance for his mother's post-mortem. Bodies were kept at various locations including district hospitals and trauma centres near Sikandrarau and Etah districts.

A young man outside a hospital expressed frustration over inadequate facilities: "There are almost 100-200 casualties and there was only one doctor at the hospital." He added that some victims were still breathing but lacked proper treatment facilities.

The tragic incident has left many families grieving and searching for answers amid chaotic scenes at hospitals and health centres across Hathras district.