India’s Hathras crush: Police say massive overcrowding led to over 116 dead

UTTAR PRADESH – Around 250,000 people gathered at the Hindu religious congregation in northern India where 116 people died in a crowd crush, more than triple the capacity permitted by the authorities, according to a police document reviewed by Reuters.

The crush happened at a religious function

in a village in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh state, about 200km south-east of New Delhi, where police gave permission for 80,000 people to gather, according to the document.

Around 250,000 people attended, according to the police first information report of the tragedy.

The crush occurred when a crowd of devotees started pushing towards the stage after the event to touch the preacher, who was coming down from a stage, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said.

Local media outlets said the event was organised by a group of devotees, but did not identify any of them. The ANI news agency, in which Reuters has a minority stake, said the police were trying to ascertain the whereabouts of the preacher.

Police officials in Hathras were not immediately available for comment. REUTERS