New Delhi: 121people tragically lost their lives in a stampede during a religious gathering in northern India on Tuesday, marking one of the most devastating incidents of its kind in the country in recent years.

The fatal stampede unfolded in a village in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. Authorities reported that a vast crowd had congregated amidst the boiling temperatures of afternoon.

The chaotic stampede happened when a group of devotees surged towards the platform following the event to reach out to the descending preacher, as said by Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

Witnesses reported individuals falling over one another as they descended a slope into a waterlogged ditch.

According to a police report, the event attracted over 250,000 attendees, surpassing the permitted 80,000 set by the organizers.