Six arrested after more than 100 killed in stampede at India religious festival, police say

Six people have been arrested over a stampede at a religious festival in India in which 121 people died, local police said.

The incident happened as people were leaving a prayer meeting on Tuesday, known as satsang, in the Mughal Garhi village in Uttar Pradesh.

The four men and two women arrested are reported to be members of the prayer meetings organising committee and worked as volunteers.

Overcrowding, insufficient exits, and bad weather contributed to the deadly stampede, Indian authorities said on Wednesday.

Around 250,000 people gathered at the festival, despite organisers having obtained permission for an attendance of 80,000 people, according to initial police reports.

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

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

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.

Baba will be questioned if required during the investigation, Uttar Pradesh police inspector Shalabh Mathur said.

In a press conference, he said: "We will make arrests based on what the investigation reveals... We will question the baba if necessary, it is too early to say or comment whether he has a role."

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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