At least 116 people have died in a crush during a religious event in northern India, according to police inspector Gen Shalabh Mathur.
The incident occurred at a satsang in Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh.
The victims, including many women and children, are still being identified.
Survivors described the chaos that ensued when trying to leave the event in Mughalgarhi village.
The exact cause of the crush is unclear, but witnesses mentioned a narrow exit and a sudden dust storm that led to confusion and panic.
An eyewitness told the BBC that everything was normal until people started screaming and falling. Another survivor, Shakuntala, told the Press Trust of India that people fell into a drain and were crushed as they tried to leave.
Umesh Kumar Tripathi, the chief medical officer from a nearby district, confirmed that at least three children were among the dead.
A senior police spokesperson said it would take hours to confirm the final death toll.
Distressing images and videos from the site show the injured being transported to hospitals in various vehicles.
One video captured bodies left at a hospital entrance as relatives pleaded for help, criticizing the absence of senior officers.
Mr. Kumar noted that the venue was overcrowded and a high-level committee would investigate the incident.
The administration is focusing on aiding the injured and the families of the deceased.
Post-mortems are underway, and the investigation continues.
In Hathras, anguished family members search for their loved ones amid a shortage of ambulances.
This tragedy is part of a pattern of accidents at religious events in India, often due to overcrowding and lack of safety measures.
For instance, in 2018, 60 people died when a train hit a crowd during Dusshera celebrations, and in 2013, a crush at a Hindu festival in Madhya Pradesh killed 115 people.
