What is the Cause of the hathras stampede?

Regarding the cause of the stampede that took over 100 lives at a "satsang" in hathras region on tuesday afternoon, several theories have been put up. According to an eyewitness, the stampede was caused by Bhole Baba's followers rushing to gather "raj," or dust, that the preacher's car had driven over as it left the venue. "After giving Satsang for more than 1.5 hours on tuesday, baba left. The eyewitness described how the followers ran to have "raj," but stumbled on the slick ground and fell on top of each other, causing a stampede.

By the end of the day, thousands of devotees had come for the program of Bhole baba, also known as Narayan Saakar Hari, according to a news release released by the state government media cell. They alleged there was a stampede during Bhole Baba's "satsang" because more people than the authorities had allowed were present at the location. Overcrowding of devotees at the event caused a stampede at Fulrai hamlet, around 50 kilometers from hathras district headquarters, which resulted in the deaths of over 100 people, mostly women and children, according to officials.

Inspector General Shalabh Mathur of the aligarh Range police earlier in the day stated, "The precise causes are still being investigated, but preliminary reports indicate that it was the closed enclosure of tent and prima facie it seems that suffocation led to discomfort for those there and they ran here and there, leading to the stampede." There were also differing accounts regarding the causes of the stampede. According to a second eyewitness, the followers were about to leave the location after Bhole Baba's convoy departed, but they were stopped.

"The crowd pressure became uncomfortable with the hot and humid weather leading to suffocation and causing the stampede once they (the followers) were allowed to leave the venue," the eyewitness stated. A sizable throng of admirers gathered there. All of this occurred as everyone hurried out of the enclosure after the satsang. There was no way out, so everyone collapsed over one another, causing the stampede to occur. I discovered motorbikes parked outside, obstructing my path, when I attempted to leave. Many people fainted, and some others died," claimed Jyoti, a survivor who was taken to Etah with her unconscious mother.