News Reading Practice #76
(100 Day Challenge)
Rush to touch feet of cop-turned-preacher in a suit
STAMPEDE AT HATHRAS SATSANG CLAIMS 116
PIYUSH SRIVASTAVA
Lucknow: At least 116 people are believed to have been
killed in a stampede at a religious congregation in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on Tuesday when they rushed out of a stuffy canopy to catch a glimpse of a religious leader, many falling into a nullah that had been obscured by
a covered and narrow passageway.
Over 150 injured people have been admitted to medical
colleges in Aligarh and Etah in critical condition.
Many eyewitnesses said they had counted over 100 bodies at Bhole
Baba Ka Satsang, a three-day religious programme at Phulrai village under
Sikandararaau police station around 385km from Lucknow. As many as 50,000 devotees had thronged the
venue - a large canopy that housed a smaller one where
the preacher was sitting - on the last day of the event.
However, Hathras district magistrate (DM) Ashish Kumar
said: "According to reports coming from different hospitals, the casualty would be anything between 50 and 60. Our priority
is to provide treatment to the injured and support the family members of the deceased."
"The organisers had taken permission for the event
and cops were stationed
outside the bigger 100mX100m canopy and the ground. The organisers were in
charge of crowd management inside the enclosed space," he said.
Jitendra Kumar, whose mother is missing, said the event
was organised by Narayan Saakaar Vishwa Hari, who also calls himself Bhole
Baba, wears suit and tie at satsangs and had once been a police constable.
Jitendra said a large marquee had
been erected for the event and a 20mX20m canopy was set up in
one corner for Bhole Baba to conduct the satsang. A few devotees were allowed
inside the small canopy on the payment of 500 while others had to sit on the
other side of a barricade, inside the larger canopy. The larger tent had
only one entry and exit gate.
Jitendra said the stampede took place when people rushed
out of the venue at the end of the satsang to catch a glimpse of Bhole Baba.
"Most people died outside the canopy as they ran
towards Bhole Baba's car to touch his feet," Jitendra said.
Jyoti Kumari, 16, a resident of Hathras, said: "The
satsang was ending and people thought they should leave because they were
feeling suffocated. There was only one entry and exit gate. As the
crowd started to swell at the main gate of the larger canopy, some people
broke the outer barricade without realising
that there was a huge nullah on the other side. They could not see the nullah
because the barricaded passageway at the exit of the larger canopy was covered
from both sides. Many of them fell into the nullah."
Jitendra said: "If (chief minister) Yogiji
(Adityanath) is hearing me then he must ask the police to file an FIR against
the DM, the police officers on duty outside the venue and the Baba and arrest
them for the death of over 100 people."
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PREACHER:
A religious leader who delivers sermons or teachings. (ധർമ്à´®ോപദേശകൻ,
à´ªുà´°ോà´¹ിതന്, à´…à´¨ുà´¶ാസകൻ)
STAMPEDE:
A sudden, frenzied rush of a crowd leading to unintended injuries or deaths. (à´¤ിà´•്à´•ും à´¤ിà´°à´•്à´•ും, à´ªാà´²ായനം, à´µിà´°à´£്à´Ÿോà´Ÿ്à´Ÿം)
CLAIM:
To cause or result in the loss of lives. (à´œീവനെà´Ÿുà´•്à´•ുà´•)
CONGREGATION:
A gathering of people, typically for religious purposes. (സമ്à´®േളനം)
RUSHED
OUT: Moved quickly or hurriedly exited. (à´ªുറത്à´¤േà´•്à´•് à´“à´Ÿുà´•)
STUFFY:
Lacking ventilation and feeling uncomfortably enclosed or congested. (à´µാà´¯ുസഞ്à´šാà´°à´®ിà´²്à´²ാà´¤്à´¤ ഇടുà´™്à´™ിà´¯)
CANOPY:
A covering, often temporary, providing shade or shelter. (പന്തല്,
à´®േà´²ാà´ª്à´ª്, à´µിà´¤ാà´¨ം)
CATCH
A GLIMPSE OF: See briefly or momentarily. (à´’à´°ു à´¨ോà´•്à´•ുà´•ാà´£ുà´•)
NULLAH: A narrow and usually dry watercourse or drainage ditch. (à´¡്à´°à´¯ിà´¨േà´œ്)
OBSCURED:
Hidden from view or difficult to see. (മറഞ്à´žിà´°ിà´•്à´•ുà´¨്à´¨)
PASSAGEWAY:
A corridor or narrow path providing access from one place to another. (നടപ്à´ªാà´¤)
EYEWITNESSES:
People who saw an event happen and can provide first-hand information. (à´¦ൃഃà´¸്à´¸ാà´•്à´·ി)
DEVOTEE:
A person who is deeply committed to a religious belief or practice. (à´à´•്തന്)
THRONG:
A large group of people densely gathered together. (തടിà´š്à´šുà´•ൂà´Ÿുà´•,
à´¤ിà´™്à´™ിà´•്à´•ൂà´Ÿുà´•)
VENUE:
The location where an event takes place. (à´µേà´¦ി)
CASUALTY:
A person killed or injured in an accident or disaster. (à´…à´¤്യഹിà´¤ം,
ആളപാà´¯ം)
INJURED:
People harmed physically due to an accident or incident. (പരിà´•്à´•േà´±്à´±)
DECEASED:
People who have died, especially in large numbers. (മരിà´š്à´š)
COPS:
Informal term for police officers. (à´ªോà´²ീà´¸ുà´•ാà´°്)
STATIONED:
Placed or positioned in a particular location. (à´¨ിലയുറപ്à´ªിà´š്à´š)
MARQUEE:
A large tent used for outdoor events or exhibitions. (വലിà´¯
à´•ൂà´Ÿാà´°ം)
ERECT:
To set up or assemble, often referring to tents or structures. (ഉയര്à´¤്à´¤ുà´•)
BARRICADE:
A barrier set up to block or control movement. (വഴിയടയ്à´•്à´•ുà´•)
SUFFOCATE:
To be deprived of air or to feel uncomfortably enclosed. (à´¶്à´µാà´¸ം
à´®ുà´Ÿ്à´Ÿിà´•്à´•ുà´•)
SWELL:
To increase in size or intensity. (à´ªെà´°ുà´•ുà´•)
REALIZE:
To become aware of something or understand it. (മനസ്à´¸ിà´²ാà´•്à´•ുà´•)
MOURN:
To feel or express sorrow or grief, especially after a loss. (à´µിലപിà´•്à´•ുà´•)
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