Tragic Hathras Stampede, 

To be caught in a stampede is beyond horrific, and when there is panic in the air, there is little chance to escape; with no medical help at hand, the situation is bound to get even more critical.

This, sadly, is a recurring theme in India when it comes to religious outings.

The latest incident that has sent chills down the spine is UP-Hathras Stampede, a religious call given out by Vishwa Hari Bhole Baba‘ which has ended up claiming the lives of at least 121 people, leaving over 300 others injured.

As often the case in stampedes, it is the vulnerable that invariably get caught, and in this instance as well the maximum number of victims have been women and children, the same were part of a massive crowd that had gathered near Phulrai Village in the Sikandrarau area.

Needless to say, the situation was a logistical nightmare that left the authorities and the medical personnel overwhelmed as they rushed to rescue and treat the injured.

Bhole Baba Ki Jia
The stampede occurred around 3:30 PM as thousands of attendees rushed to touch the feet of Bhole Baba, whose real name is Surajpal, a former police officer turned religious preacher.

According to eyewitnesses, parts of the ground had become boggy due to water overflowing from a nearby drain, causing people to slip and fall over one another.

At the same time, overcrowding was cited as a primary factor, with attendance far exceeding the 80,000 figure mentioned in the event organizers’ application.

Reports suggets that nearly 2.5 lakh people attended the ‘Satsang’.

ADG Anupam Kulshreshtha confirmed that an FIR has been filed against the event organizers for exceeding the permitted attendance.

Hathras DM Ashish Kumar clarified that while organizers had permission from the SDM, the actual turnout far exceeded expectations, leading to tragic consequences predominantly affecting residents from Hathras and Etah.

Initial reports following the tragic stampede in Hathras revealed that organizers had permission to host approximately 5,000 people, yet over 15,000 individuals attended the event; this event marked another in a series of gatherings the Baba has conducted over the past two decades.

Mind you, this ‘Bhole Baba’ who called for the religious sermons is allegedly absconding!

Late on Tuesday, Deputy Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar informed media that the ‘baba’ was not found inside the campus.

“We did not find Baba ji inside the campus…He is not here…” Kumar said to the media.

So where is this Baba, and why is he not taking responsibility for the outcome if he is such a pious and religious man?

What Happened
Going deeper into this tragedy of massive proportions reveals glaring misgivings on the part of the organizers – the logistical challenges became apparent as the narrow exit routes and limited parking within a 3-km radius struggled to accommodate the massive crowd.

Prakash Kumar, an injured attendee from Aligarh, recounted,

“There was a large crowd at the site. There was no way out, and people fell on each other and fainted. When I tried to move out, there were motorcycles parked outside, which blocked my way.”

According to Shyam Singh from Agra, the stampede initiated when Bhole Baba’s convoy passed, causing an unexpected halt that intensified the already frenzied atmosphere.

Tragically, some individuals fell into a deep pit near the venue’s back door, triggering panic and further worsening the stampede. Many fatalities occurred as a result of the ensuing trampling and confusion.

Hathras District Magistrate Ashish Kumar clarified that while the event organizers had obtained permission from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), the actual attendance far exceeded expectations. Most of the victims hailed from Hathras and nearby Etah, stressing the localized impact of the disaster.

The Limited Medical Infrastructure
What has further complicated the issue and has hampered rescue efforts is the influx of casualties overwhelming local medical facilities, particularly the Sikandra Rau trauma centre, where a nurse reported,

“Patients who arrived alive are dying due to inadequate medical facilities. Our hospital lacks sufficient oxygen to revive those who are unconscious.”

If such a mass gathering has already been given the go-ahead, going by the obvious fervour that religious gatherings transmit in our country, why were no ambulances, medical personnel, or even fire and safety officials ordered to be present?

Haven’t we learnt anything from our previous tragedies? Is this not another classic case of the ‘chata hai’ attitude?

The Hathras stampede recalls similar incidents in India’s recent history, such as the 2013 tragedy during a Hindu festival in Madhya Pradesh, where fears of a bridge collapse triggered a stampede resulting in the deaths of at least 115 pilgrims.

Similarly, in 2011, over 100 Hindu devotees lost their lives in a crush at a religious festival in Kerala, further highlighting the recurring challenges of managing large-scale public gatherings in the country.

To put the lethargic and insensitive attitude of our callous governments – a woman whose sister-in-law lost her life in the tragic incident even as she hunts for her five-year-old son puts it truthfully when asked – if she had any demands from the government, Rajkumari told PTI: “What do we say now. There’s nothing (to ask for). It’s only the poor who meet this fate, not the rich.”

And something needs to be said about the now absconding Baba: If he has an iota of religion in him, he needs to come out of hiding and face the consequences!