121 Dead in Hathras Religious Stampede

A stampede at a religious 'Satsang' event in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, led by self-styled godman Narayan Sakar Hari, also known as Bhole Baba, resulted in the deaths of 121 people and injuries to hundreds more. The tragedy occurred when a crowd of over 250,000, exceeding the permitted 80,000, surged to collect dust from the godman's car as he left, causing many to fall and get trampled. Eyewitnesses and officials cited inadequate crowd management, narrow exits, and sudden chaos as contributing factors. The Uttar Pradesh government has registered an FIR against the event organizers for culpable homicide and evidence destruction, though Bhole Baba has not been named in the complaint. Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have expressed condolences and announced compensation for the victims' families.