New Delhi: A 45-year-old woman died and at least three people were injured when a stampede-like situation broke out at a Rakshabandhan event on Thursday in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.
The mass Rakshabandhan event was organised by Bareilly Mayor and BJP leader Umesh Gautam, as well as his son Parth Gautam at the Bareilly Club. Around 20,000 women had been invited to tie rakhis to the leaders, and were promised food and a saree as a gift.
The woman who died has been identified as Madhu, the wife of a former serviceman Bhagwan Singh of Chandragupt Puram, located along the Pilibhit Bypass Road. She was rushed to the Mission Hospital, reportedly about 2 kilometres away, but died on the way. She was critically injured in the crowd surge.
“We went there to attend the event but it was very poorly managed. Many people lost consciousness due to the crowd. One woman died and children also got injured,” alleged Kastoori Kumari, a woman who was at the event. “I got out somehow fighting for my life. We came here because we were invited as sisters in a respectful manner. Not for this,” Kumari told ThePrint. Videos of the event have gone viral on social media.
The event began at 10 am. It was organised by the Yuva Sewak Sangh and Parth Gautam Foundation. Thousands of women from the city and surrounding tehsils gathered to tie rakhis on the mayor and his son.
The same event was held last year as well, and it was reportedly attended by 15,000 women. This year, the number reached 20,000.
However, the police said that there has been no information on any loss of life so far.
“In connection with the incident on Thursday, August 27 during a Rakshabandhan-related programme organised at Bareilly Club, a situation of pushing and shoving arose among women due to the crowd. The police immediately reached the spot, brought the situation under control and ensured that the programme concluded peacefully. There has been no information of any loss of life so far,” said Bareilly Police.
(Edited by Aakriti Handa)