Hathras stampede: "I am left with nothing... everything is gone," said a man who lost his wife, mother and 16-year-old daughter in a stampede at a 'satsang' by religious preacher Bhole Baba in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras which claimed 116 lives.
According to the official report, 116 people have died so far, including 108 women and seven children. Devotees had come to the 'satsang' from various districts of Uttar Pradesh as well as neighbouring states. The victims were part of the crowd of thousands that had gathered near Phulrai village in the Sikandrarau area for the 'satsang' by religious preacher Bhole Baba.
Families mourn death of loved ones
Vinod said, "I did not even know that all three had gone to the Satsang because he had gone somewhere outside. Someone told him that there was a stampede in the satsang after which I reached the spot and found out that my 16-year-old daughter, mother and wife had died. I could not even find my mother's body. I am left with nothing... everything is gone."
Kamla, the mother of 16-year-old Roshni, a victim of the Hathras tragedy, expressed her grief over her daughter's death. She said, "I have been attending Baba's satsang for 20 years. Today, I went to the satsang with my 16-year-old daughter, and a stampede broke out around 2 in the afternoon. Both my daughter and I were slightly injured. She seemed fine, but as soon as we reached the hospital, she fell unconscious. Later, the doctors declared her dead."
Kunwar Pal, uncle of the deceased 3.5-year-old child, said, "The child had come here with his mother...His mother is still missing...We are a resident of Aligarh..."
The husband of the deceased Gudiya Devi said that he tried to stop her from attending the Baba's Satsang many times but she did not listen. "She had come for the Satsang with our daughter and two neighbouring women. The two neighbouring women and my wife died in the incident...My daughter is safe...," he said.
Heera Lal from Aligarh, a family member of a victim, said, "My entire family travelled by bus to attend the satsang. All my family members are fine except for my sister-in-law, who got injured in the stampede."
Hathras stampede
The stampede occurred at a religious event in Hathras on Tuesday, in which 116 people were killed and 18 people were injured, officials said. The stampede apparently occurred due to overcrowding, Sikandra Rao police station SHO Ashish Kumar said. According to officials, a team comprising the Agra additional director general of police and the divisional commissioner of Aligarh are probing the incident.
Earlier, police conducted a search operation at Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri district in search of 'Bhole Baba', who conducted a Satsang in Hathras where a stampede took place on Tuesday. "We did not find Baba ji inside the campus...He is not here..." said Deputy SP Sunil Kumar.
The Uttar Pradesh government has announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to the kin of those who died in the incident. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
(With ANI inputs)
Also Read: Hathras accident: Stampede during satsang in UP, women, children among 116 dead
