Overcrowding, lack of exits and mud contributed to deadly India stampede

Massive overcrowding, insufficient exits and bad weather contributed to the deadly stampede at a religious festival in Northern India which has lead to the deaths of at least 121 people, Indian authorities have said.

Five more people died on Wednesday and 28 were still being treated in hospital, according to local officials.

Authorities are now investigating what caused the stampede on Tuesday afternoon in a village in Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh state, as large crowds crushed through a makeshift tent.

Some 250,000 people turned up for an event with a local Hindu guru in a tent designed to accommodate 80,000.

The crowd of worshippers rushed forwards to touch the preacher, named locally as Bhole Baba, as he was leaving the stage Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told reporters that

This caused chaos at event, as volunteers struggled to control the crowd.

Initial police reports suggest thousands of people then surged towards the exit, many of whom slipped on the muddy ground causing them to fall and be crushed by the crowds.

Police say most of the dead were women.

"The function was held in a makeshift tent without ensuring multiple exit routes" says Sanjay Srivastava, a disaster management expert. Instead, officials say it there appeared to be only one small exit in the tent.

A police search has been launched for the preacher who has been criticised for sitting in his car and leaving whilst his devotees fell upon one another.

India is no stranger to deadly stampedes at religious festivals.

In 2013 at least 115 pilgrims were crushed to death during a Hindu festival in central Madhya Pradesh state, and more than 100 Hindu devotees died in a crush at a religious festival in the southern state of Kerala.

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