27 killed, many injured in stampede in UP's Hathras

Hathras (UP), July 2: Nearly 27 persons, including women and children, were killed after a stampede broke out at a religious event in Hathras district on Tuesday, officials said.

The stampede occurred during a 'satsang' (prayer meeting) for Lord Shiva. Visuals from the Community Health Centre showed several bodies being brought there in the presence of crying relatives.

Chief medical officer (CMO) Etah, Umesh Kumar Tripathi said, "We have received 27 bodies, of which 25 are females and two are males. Some injured have also been taken to hospitals. We have heard that there was a stampede during a ‘satsang’ but do not have too many more details."

Senior Superintendent of Police, Etah, Rajesh Kumar later said three children were among those killed in the stampede, which broke out in a village within the Sikandra Rao police station limits in Hathras.

Officials said that further details about the incident are awaited.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a probe into the incident. ADG Agra and Commissioner Aligarh will be members of the probe committee.

UP Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and DGP Prashant Kumar along with ministers Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan Singh and Sandeep Singh have left for Hathras.