Not just Hathras: Past religious events that ended in stampede, and why

Relatives mourn next to the bodies of their relatives in Hathras (AP Photo)

At least 121 people died in a stampede after 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.

What happened?

The exact cause of the panic is unclear, but several factors likely contributed to the high death toll, including overcrowding, insufficient exits, bad weather, and poor planning. The event, which was permitted for 80,000 attendees, saw around 250,000 people gather in a tent set up in a muddy field.

The event was held in a makeshift tent in Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh, amid sweltering heat and high humidity. Senior police officer Shalabh Mathur mentioned that initial reports suggest the closed enclosure of the tent led to suffocation, causing discomfort and panic among attendees.

As the preacher descended from the stage, devotees surged forward to touch him, causing chaos. Volunteers struggled to intervene, and thousands of people thronged toward the exits. Many slipped on the muddy ground, leading to a crush. Most of the deceased were women.

The police FIR stated that once the stampede began at the main gate, those inside the venue ran towards a nearby farm area. However, the wet soil from recent rains caused many to fall and be trampled. The SDM reported that after the Satsang ended, the crowd surged forward to have a darshan of Narayan Sakar Hari (Bhole Baba) and touch his feet. The preacher’s security personnel and volunteers began pushing the crowd, causing people to fall and the crowd to move towards an open field, where people slipped and fell due to the slope.

The police FIR also noted that a volunteer named Dev Prakash Madhukar obtained permission for an 80,000-person gathering, but over 250,000 people attended. The large number of vehicles parked along a three-kilometer stretch of the national highway caused a road blockade.

How common are stampedes 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.

Sanjay 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.

Accidents 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.