Grief and anger after India crush kills 121

A time aft 121 radical were crushed to decease astatine a spiritual lawsuit successful the northbound Indian authorities of Uttar Pradesh, families of immoderate of the victims are inactive searching for their loved ones.

The incidental took spot during a satsang (a Hindu spiritual festival) organised by a self-styled preacher called Bhole Baba.

Police said that monolithic overcrowding astatine the venue successful Hathras territory led to Tuesday's crush - they person registered a lawsuit against the event's main organisers.

It's 1 of the worst specified tragedies for galore years successful India, wherever accidents involving ample crowds are often blamed connected lax information measures and assemblage management.

On Wednesday, a ample fig of policemen were contiguous arsenic politicians visited the tract to find retired however the calamity unfolded.

Dozens of workers were engaged removing the sprawling structure from the lawsuit venue, astir 500 metres from the main road. Two colourful arches bearing the sanction and photograph of the self-styled guru stood astatine the entranceway and exit.

Early greeting rainfall had drenched the spot and ample pools of h2o made it hard to locomotion around.

The organisers had laid a ceramic path, starring to the main stage. It was strewn with apparel and shoes of victims - a achy reminder of the galore lives lost.

Officials said astir of the dormant and injured were women.

• What we cognize astir the India crush that killed 121
• More than 120 killed successful crush astatine India spiritual event

Yogesh Yadav, who lives successful the neighbourhood, was 1 of the archetypal to unreserved to the site.

“After the supplication gathering was over, Bhole Baba was leaving. Hundreds of women ran aft his car to prime up the ungraded underneath the tyres of the conveyance arsenic a mode of seeking his blessing,” helium told the BBC.

“Some crossed the road to get a amended glimpse of his car. In the melee, galore women fell successful the drain adjacent to the highway. People started falling connected apical of each other,” Mr Yadav said.

According to the archetypal accusation study (FIR) lodged by the police, authorities had fixed support for 80,000 radical to stitchery for the event. But astir 250,000 radical turned up to be it.

Eyewitnesses told the BBC that determination wasn't capable information to negociate specified a immense crowd.

At the main infirmary successful the adjacent metropolis of Aligarh, we saw dozens of radical waiting to person the bodies of their loved ones.

One antheral said helium had travel to look for his aunt who had been missing since Tuesday afternoon.

Hridesh Kumar was sitting extracurricular the mortuary and wailing unconsolably.

“My woman Sarva Devi came with our 2 children to the supplication gathering with immoderate of our relatives. My uncle and children were not injured. But my woman was killed successful the crush," helium said.

"How volition I look aft my children without her? My full beingness has turned upside down."

Not overmuch is known astir the preacher, but locals said helium was hugely fashionable successful the district.

As we drove to the tract of the accident, we saw respective posters and billboards of him connected some sides of the road.

Police accidental helium runs an organisation called the Ram Kutir Charitable Trust, which was besides the main organiser of Tuesday's event.

Accidents are routinely reported astatine spiritual events successful India, arsenic immense crowds stitchery successful tiny spaces with small to nary information measures.

In 2018, astir 60 radical were killed aft a bid rammed into a assemblage watching celebrations for Dusshera, a Hindu festival.

In 2013, a crush astatine a Hindu festival successful the cardinal authorities of Madhya Pradesh had killed 115 people.