Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday rushed two senior ministers to Hathras where at least 27 devotees, mostly women, died in a stampede in a religious congregation during afternoon hours.

The CM has also directed the ADG Agra and the Divisional Commissioner, Aligarh to rush to the spot and probe the reason behind the incident.

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Two UP Ministers — Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan Singh and Sandeep Singh — along with state Chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and DGP Prashant Kumar have reached Hathras.

CM Adityanath condoled the death of devotees in the stampede and directed the officials to provide all medical assistance to the injured.

According to the police, prima facie, it appears that suffocatingly hot weather and humid conditions led to discomfort among the people attending the ‘Satsang’. The people started running out just when the programme ended, causing the stampede.

While 27 bodies were taken to Etah, several were sent to Aligarh.

SSP Etah Rajesh Kumar Singh said that 27 bodies — 25 women and 2 children — have been brought to Etah Medical College. Police said several people were injured in the stampede.

Inspector General (Aligarh Range) Shalabh Mathur said,” It was a satsang meeting of Bhole Baba, a religious preacher. A temporary permission was granted for gathering at the spot on the border of Etah and Hathras district on Tuesday afternoon.”