Indian religious event organizers prosecuted after stampede left 121 dead

Published July 3rd, 2024 - 12:12 GMT
India
Mourners gather as the deceased who died in a melee during a sermon, are brought to a hospital in Hathras in India's Uttar Pradesh state on July 2, 2024. Nearly 100 people were crushed to death in a stampede at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India on July 2, with many others injured, a senior government official said. (Photo by Pawan SHARMA / AFP)
 

NEW DELHI

Indian police have filed a case against the organizers of a religious event whose aftermath saw a stampede killing at least 121 people, officials said Wednesday.

The death toll from the incident in the village of Ratibhanpur in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh included women and children. It took place during a Hindu prayer meeting, known locally as Satsang.Case filed against religious event organizers after India stampede leaves 121 dead

Officials from the state’s relief commissioner put the number of injured in the incident at 28.

Police said an investigation is underway and have filed a case against the event organizers for flouting the rules of the permit. Local media reported that though only 80,000 people were allowed to attend, nearly 250,000 turned up.

A high-level committee is also probing the incident, said officials.​​​​​​​
 

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