At least 116 people are believed to have been killed in a stampede at a religious congregation in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras on Tuesday when they rushed out of a stuffy canopy to catch a glimpse of a religious leader, many falling into a nullah that had been obscured by a covered and narrow passageway.

Over 150 injured people have been admitted to medical colleges in Aligarh and Etah in critical condition.

Many eyewitnesses said they had counted over 100 bodies at Bhole Baba Ka Satsang, a three-day religious programme at Phulrai village under Sikandararaau police station around 385km from Lucknow. As many as 50,000 devotees had thronged the venue — a large canopy that housed a smaller one where the preacher was sitting — on the last day of the event.

However, Hathras district magistrate (DM) Ashish Kumar said: “According to reports coming from different hospitals, the casualty would be anything between 50 and 60. Our priority is to provide treatment to the injured and support the family members of the deceased.”

“The organisers had taken permission for the event and cops were stationed outside the bigger 100mX100m canopy and the ground. The organisers were in charge of crowd management inside the enclosed space,” he said.

Relatives mourn the victims of the stampede in Hathras on Tuesday. PTI picture

Jitendra Kumar, whose mother is missing, said the event was organised by Narayan Saakaar Vishwa Hari, who also calls himself Bhole Baba, wears suit and tie at satsangs and had once been a police constable.

Jitendra said a large marquee had been erected for the event and a 20mX20m canopy was set up in one corner for Bhole Baba to conduct the satsang. A few devotees were allowed inside the small canopy on the payment of ₹500 while others had to sit on the other side of a barricade, inside the larger canopy. The larger tent had only one entry and exit gate.

Jitendra said the stampede took place when people rushed out of the venue at the end of the satsang to catch a glimpse of Bhole Baba.

“Most people died outside the canopy as they ran towards Bhole Baba’s car to touch his feet,” Jitendra said.

Jyoti Kumari, 16, a resident of Hathras, said: “The satsang was ending and people thought they should leave because they were feeling suffocated. There was only one entry and exit gate. As the crowd started to swell at the main gate of the larger canopy, some people broke the outer barricade without realising that there was a huge nullah on the other side. They could not see the nullah because the barricaded passageway at the exit of the larger canopy was covered from both sides. Many of them fell into the nullah.”

Jitendra said: “If (chief minister) Yogiji (Adityanath) is hearing me then he must ask the police to file an FIR against the DM, the police officers on duty outside the venue and the Baba and arrest them for the death of over 100 people.”

Jitendra added: “I just came to know that the Baba hails from Bahadur Nagar of Patiyali in Kasgaon district and his real name is Suraj Pal. He was a constable in Uttar Pradesh police and was suspended 18 years ago. Thereafter, he became a sadhu and started doing satsangs.”

Pal holds similar satsangs in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

A source in the police said Pal was posted as a constable in Atrauli, Aligarh, when the department had suspended him. None could pinpoint the reason for the action. However, Pal had told his friends that he had taken voluntary retirement.

“Pal wears a white suit and tie during satsangs. He is untraceable since the incident,” a police officer said on the condition of anonymity.

Pal’s volunteers refused to talk to reporters.

Dr Umesh Kumar Tripathi, chief medical officer of Etah adjoining Hathras, told reporters that he had received 27 bodies from the satsang in Hathras. “We have sent 27 bodies for post-mortem in our mortuary. This includes 19 women and three children.”

Rajesh Kumar Singh, senior superintendent of police of Etah, said: “We have sent the bodies to different mortuaries and admitted the injured to hospitals in Hathras, Etah and Aligarh. We can provide the details about the incident only after an inquiry.”

Ram Das, 50, from Bangaon in Etah who was present at the satsang, told reporters that his wife died in the stampede.

“At least 100 people died. Ambulances full of bodies were sent to Etah, Aligarh and Firozabad soon after the incident,” he said.

He said the tent was packed beyond capacity and people were feeling suffocated.

“We had paid ₹200 each to attend the satsang and were sitting near the gate of Baba’s canopy. Those who were inside the canopy had paid ₹500 each. Those who were managing the crowd were kicking us. Suddenly people started running out of the narrow passage from all directions and fell atop one another. My wife Saroj Lata died and my son and daughter-in-law suffered injuries. They are admitted to the Hathras Community Health Centre,” said Das.

Das said Bhole Baba had a team of around 100 volunteers who managed the programme where he told religious stories.

Seema Devi, 55, a resident of Etah, recalled people suddenly running helter-skelter.

“My nephew and niece who had accompanied me to the programme died in the incident. I saw devotees were running to touch Baba’s feet and then I lost consciousness for about 30 minutes,” she said.

Adityanath has constituted a three-member panel under additional director-general of police (Agra zone) Anupam Kulshrestha to conduct an inquiry. The state government has announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for the family of each of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.

Besides Bhole Baba, the names of the organisers written on banners at the venue were Ved Prakash Madhukar, Mahesh Chandra and Anar Singh.

In March 2010, 63 devotees had died in a stampede at a satsang by Kripalu Maharaj at his ashram at Kunda in Pratapgarh. A day before the incident, Kripalu had announced that he would distribute utensils among his followers. Kripalu and his volunteers had to beat the devotees with lathis to manage the crowd.

Though the police had found Kripalu guilty of conducting such an event without informing the local administration, no action was taken against him or his team.