Indian officials order investigation into deadly stampede, search for religious leader as death toll hits 121

New Delhi — At least 121 people were killed in a stampede at a religious gathering in central India's Uttar Pradesh state on Tuesday, police said, as an investigation into the organizers was launched and the Hindu guru who hosted the event disappeared. The Uttar Pradesh government ordered a judicial probe into the stampede, and the state police force registered a case against the organisers.

The Uttar Pradesh police said they were looking for the Hindu preacher, Suraj Pal, known by his followers as "Bhole Baba," who hosted the gathering. It was widely reported that the preacher went into hiding soon after the stampede. 

Pal, in his late 50s, is a former police officer who quit his job 20 years ago to turn to preaching. His popularity has grown over the years, and he's held periodic public gatherings that draw thousands of devotees to seek his blessings.

NOTE: This article includes images of death that some readers may find disturbing.  

The stampede occurred during a "satsang," a prayer meeting hosted by Pal in the village of Rati Bhanpur in the Uttar Pradesh's Hathras area. Thousands of his devotees showed up to listen to his address, crowding under tents to avoid the harsh sun, before there was a panic and people started running.

The Uttar Pradesh Police force confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that at least 121 people were killed in the crush.

It was not immediately clear what caused the panic, but some eyewitnesses told local media outlets that the stampede started when the event ended and people rushed to leave.

Videos shared widely on social media showed dozens of bodies, mostly women, being brought to regional hospitals.

The top official in Uttar Pradesh state, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ordered an investigation into the incident as residents started voicing anger and allegations that proper arrangements had not been made for the large gathering, which was held amid hot and humid conditions.

Senior police officer Shalabh Mathur said Tuesday that "temporary permission" had been granted for the religious event.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Uttar Pradesh state government was providing all possible help to the victims.

Opposition Congress party leader Pawan Khera accused the state government, which is run by Modi's Bhartiya Janata Party, of being unprepared for the event. He said the hospitals where the injured were sent didn't have enough doctors or facilities to treat them.

Stampedes at religious events in India are not uncommon, as the gatherings are mostly managed privately, and often without adequate safety or crowd control measures put in place. 

One of India's deadliest stampedes at a religious event was in 2005, when more than 340 people died at the Mandhardevi temple in the western state of Maharashtra. More than 250 people died in another stampede at Rajasthan state's Chamunda Devi temple in 2008. In the same year, more than 160 people died in a stampede at a religious gathering at the Naina Devi temple in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh.

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