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Stampede-like situation at religious discourse in Meerut
The venue was said to be filled beyond capacity; ADG (Meerut Zone) said the situation was controlled and no casualty or injuries were reported in the incident
LUCKNOW A stampede-like situation prevailed during a religious discourse, ‘Shivpuran Katha’, by Pandit Pradeep Mishra in Meerut on Friday when some people fell over each other amid crowd surge in the pandal, but police alertness and elaborate arrangements averted any untoward incident, said officials.
The Katha was going on in Shatabdi Nagar Sector 4 of Partapur and the venue was said to be filled beyond capacity. ADG (Meerut Zone) DK Thakur confirmed that a stampede-like situation was created but it was controlled, and no casualty or injuries were reported in the incident.
Meerut district magistrate Deepak Meena said there was a major rush of women at the site and some people fell over each other around 1pm, but everything was under control.
Enough police force and administrative authorities were present at the site and they were directed to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to anyone, he added.
Another police official said a weeklong religious discourse programme was organized by Sri Kedareshvar Sewa Samiti from December 15 to 21 and it was the second last day of the event on Friday. He said over one lakh people visit the event daily including several VVIPs.
He said elaborate arrangements were made at the site with over 1,000 police officials and personnel deployed for mob control and security while seven parking lots were created. He said a makeshift hospital, drinking water and food facility along with other arrangements, were also made at the site. Moreover, around 500 CCTV cameras were installed for video surveillance while drones were also deployed for aerial vigil, he added.
On July 2, about 121 people, mostly women and children, were killed in a stampede at Phulrai village in Hathras on July 2. The stampede took place during a satsang addressed by self-styled godman Surajpal alias Bhole Baba, a resident of Kasganj in UP.
