Over 50 people died and several others were injured in a stampede at a religious congregation here on Tuesday, officials said.

Devotees suffocated to their deaths and bodies piled atop each other in the stampede – among the biggest such tragedies in recent years - that took place at a 'satsang' in the district’s Phulrai village.

They said the incident occurred at a 'satsang' event in Pulrai village where people had gathered in large numbers.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Etah, Rajesh Kumar Singh said, "Twenty-seven bodies have arrived in Etah hospital. Among those killed are 23 women, three children and a man." In an update based on reports from the hospital, a district official later said 50 to 60 people were believed killed. Unconfirmed reports said the toll was even higher.

Victims, dead or unconscious, were brought to the Sikandara Rao Trauma Centre in trucks and other vehicles. The bodies were laid outside the health centre as people milled around them.

One video clip showed a woman crying, sitting among five or six bodies in a truck. Another picture showed a man and a woman lying lifeless in another vehicle.

Eyewitness Shakuntala Devi told PTI Videos that the stampede took place while people were leaving the venue at the end of the 'satsang'. They fell atop each other, she said.

The stampede apparently occurred due to overcrowding, Sikandra Rao police station SHO Ashish Kumar said.

According to officials, a team comprising the Agra additional director general of police and the divisional commissioner of Aligarh will probe the incident.

Speaking in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths. On social media, President Droupadi Murmu said the news was heart-rending. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed sadness.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the stampede and instructed officials to reach the accident site and carry out relief measures. He announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.

The Uttar Pradesh government said an FIR will be registered against the organisers of the programme.

Adityanath also directed the district administration to arrange for proper treatment of those injured and immediately take them to hospitals. He wished them a speedy recovery.

In a post on 'X' in Hindi, he said, "The loss of lives in the unfortunate accident in Hathras district is extremely sad and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved family." Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh ministers Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary and Sandeep Singh were headed for the incident site and the chief secretary and police chief have been directed to reach the spot.

Sikandra Rao MLA Birendra Singh Rana told PTI that the 'satsang' was a daylong affair.