‘Anyone who fell did not get up’: Survivors recall chaos and confusion at deadly crush in India

CNN —

Eyewitnesses have recounted scenes of chaos and confusion after a religious festival in northern India ended in tragedy when scores of people were killed in a crowd crush.

At least 121 people died – almost all of them women – and 35 others were injured when overcrowding at a sermon in Mughal Garhi village in Uttar Pradesh led to the deadly crush on Tuesday. Police said they were investigating the organizers, saying a quarter of a million people arrived at the venue – more than three times the number expected – and just a few dozen police officers had been deployed.

The crush happened as female devotees rushed toward the stage to touch the feet of Bhole Baba, the self-styled godman, or guru, who led the event, according to Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister. Other officials said devotees were trying to collect ground that his car had passed over as he left the ceremony.

Speaking to CNN from a local hospital, security guard Subhash Lal said his mother had died in the crush and blamed “carelessness” for the tragedy.

“My mother’s dead body is here (at this hospital)… The most pain you can feel is for a mother, everyone knows that,” he said.

“If there was no carelessness then people would not have died like this, whether it’s the administration or organizers, it’s carelessness.”

Relatives mourn outside of the home of three victims of the same family who died in the crush.

The mother of a victim who gave her name as Kamala told Reuters: “My daughter was alright when she arrived at the hospital. In fact, my daughter served water to other victims, helped them and called my brother informing us that she had made it to the hospital safely. But by the time my brother reached the hospital, my daughter was dead.”

Describing