Stampede Kills Dozens at Religious Event in India

At least 60 people are dead and scores are injured after a stampede at a religious gathering in northern India, per the AP. More than 150 people were admitted to hospitals after the crush in a village in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh state, say authorities. The stampede occurred as attendees rushed to leave following an event with a religious leader named Bhole Baba. Overcrowding appears to have been a factor: Initial reports suggested that over 15,000 people had gathered for the event, which had permission to host about 5,000.

One survivor, Jyoti, who goes only by her first name, told local media that the stampede happened as soon as the event ended. "Everyone was in a rush to leave," she recalled. "There was no way out and people were falling on each other." The village is about 215 miles southwest of state capital Lucknow. Deadly stampedes are relatively common during Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas with few safety measures.

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