Hathras Stampede: Bodies Lying On Blocks Of Ice At Hospitals, Families Remember Their Loved Ones

hathras stampede: bodies lying on blocks of ice at hospitals, families remember their loved ones

New Delhi: Scores of bodies of those killed in deadly stampede in Hathras are lying on blocks of ice inside the government hospital, as the wailing victims wait to take mortal remains back home. At least 116 people died in the stampede at the religious congregation - 108 of them women and seven children. The victims had gathered near Phulrai village in honour of a local guru, Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari.

Among the relatives was a man who lost three members of his family. Vinod's wife and his 16-year-old daughter had been attending the Satsang for the last 20 years. Vinod, who skipped the Satsang due to work, was informed by a friend. "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," said Vinod.

"I am left with nothing...," he said.

Outside Sikandra Rao Community Health Centre, a man from Kasganj district was looking for his mother, while another searched for his paternal aunt (bua).

Both carried mobile phones in their hands showing pictures of their relatives.

"I watched my mother's picture on a news channel and recognised her. She had come for the programme here along with two dozen other people from our village," said one of the men, according to news agency PTI.

Nearby two men waited in their small pick-up truck hoping to find the missing father of their cousin.

"He went for the programme for the first time on the insistence of an acquaintance. He is not street smart, doesn't even carry a phone," the men said.

Meena Devi was among the greiving victims outside the TB department of the Bagla Combined District Hospital where scores of bodies were kept on the ground floor. Her 65-year-old mother was left behind and was "crushed over" during the stampede. "It was drizzling in the area (Sadiqpur) where I live, otherwise I had planned to go to the 'sangat' with my mother. My brother and sister-in-law, their kids had accompanied my mother to the 'Sangat'. In the crowd, my mother got left behind and was crushed over," she told PTI.

Vinod Kumar Suryavanshi from Barse village in the Sasni Tehsil lost his 72-year-old maternal aunt while his mother luckily survived.

"I have been here for three hours. The body is still here and I have been told it will go for post-mortem now but I am not sure how much more time it will take," he said.

Suryavanshi said his aunt and mother have been following the Baba's sermons for around 15 years, PTI reported.

Another woman claimed that she lost her 16-year-old during treatment. "My daughter was fine when she was in the hospital...She called and informed that she was in the hospital. By the time we reached the hospital, she was declared dead," she said.

A compensation of ₹ 2 lakh have been announced to the families of the vvictims and ₹ 50,000 for the injured. Officials said a case will be registered against the organisers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured all possible help to the Uttar Pradesh government.

In a post on X, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath assured proper treatment to the injured.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, also extended his condolences. The Congress leader also requested workers from the INDIA alliance to help with the rescue and relief efforts.