In India, at least 116 people were crushed to death by a crowd during a Hindu religious gathering to celebrate the Hindu god Shiva in the northern city of Hathras.
The event turned into a tragedy. At least 116 people were crushed to death by a mob during a Hindu religious gathering in northern India on Tuesday.
The stampede happened nearly 150 kilometres from New Delhi, when a dust storm caused panic among worshippers during a sermon by a popular preacher.
Many people were crushed or trampled, some fell into a drain at the side of the road.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to those who lost their loved ones and wished a speedy recovery to the survivors.
He also announced compensation of $2,400 for the relatives of the deceased and $600 for the injured. An investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy has been ordered by local authorities.
Religious gatherings in India have a sad record of fatal incidents due to poor crowd management and security lapses. At least 112 people died in 2016 after an explosion caused by fireworks in a temple where the Hindu New Year was being celebrated.
In 2013, 115 worshipers died in a stampede near a temple in Madhya Pradesh. Nearly 400,000 people gathered at a time when rumours spread that a bridge was about to collapse, causing a stampede. At least 224 pilgrims died in 2008, and more than 400 were injured, during a stampede around a temple in the northern city of Jodhpur.
