A look at stampedes and crowd disasters in India over the years

More than 100 people were killed in a stampede Tuesday in northern India following a Hindu religious gathering, making it one of the deadliest such accidents in recent years.

Thousands had gathered at a makeshift tent for a religious event led by a Hindu preacher in Hathras district in Uttar Pradesh state. The victims were crushed to death as they rushed to leave. Video of the aftermath showed the structure appeared to have collapsed, and authorities said heat, overcrowding and suffocation may have been factors.

Here’s a look at other major stampedes in India over the past two decades:

12 die in crowd surge at popular Hindu shrine

A crowd surge at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 15 on New Year’s Day 2022. The crush occurred at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine, where tens of thousands of Hindus had gathered to pay respects.

Stampede during morning rush kills 22 on Mumbai pedestrian bridge

A stampede on a crowded pedestrian bridge connecting two Mumbai railway stations killed 22 people and injured 32 during the morning rush on Sept. 29, 2017. Police said some commuters leaped over the railing while others were crushed or fell underfoot and were trampled.

2 dozen are killed on overcrowded bridge in Varanasi

At least 24 people were killed and 20 injured in a stampede on Oct. 15, 2016, as they crossed a crowded bridge to reach a Hindu religious ceremony in northern India. The stampede took place on the outskirts of Varanasi, a city in Uttar Pradesh known for its temples. Organizers had expected 3,000 devotees at the ceremony, but more than 70,000 thronged the ashram of a local Hindu leader on the banks of the Ganges River.

Crowd surge along Godavari River kills at least 27

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