Women Faint, Injured Amid Gift Scramble At BJP Mayor's Rakhi Event In Bareilly

A Rakshabandhan event organised by Bareilly BJP Mayor Umesh Gautam turned chaotic after more than 20,000 women reportedly gathered at Bareilly Club Ground, with several women fainting amid intense crowding. The event, held a day before Rakshabandhan, included the distribution of sarees and other gifts. Officials said the situation worsened as the crowd grew amid hot and humid conditions, with several women reportedly becoming unconscious or suffering injuries.

Senior Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya said police had not been informed about the programme in advance. No formal complaint had been lodged with the police at the time of the incident, officials said. Women had started arriving early for the programme, which was scheduled to continue from morning until evening. As the gathering expanded, the available space inside the venue became increasingly congested, with people struggling to move through the crowd.

Coupons had reportedly been distributed in advance to women attending the programme to tie rakhis. Many women arrived with children and elderly family members, further increasing the number of people at the venue. Images from the location showed women breaching barricades and moving towards the stage as crowd pressure intensified. Several women were seen being taken away in ambulances after fainting or sustaining injuries during the commotion.

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Mayor Umesh Gautam reportedly attempted to ease the situation by directing people towards different parts of the venue. His son, Parth Gautam, was also sent towards the main gate so that women could tie rakhis there and reduce the pressure around the stage. Despite the efforts, several women fell amid the pushing and crowd movement. Reports also indicated that some children became separated from their families, prompting repeated announcements from the stage asking parents and children to reunite.

The aftermath of the incident left broken bangles, slippers and other personal belongings scattered across the ground. One elderly attendee recalled that a young girl had become trapped in the crowd and was rescued after being pinned down for several minutes, while the woman herself suffered injuries to her hands and legs. Another attendee who had travelled from the Bhuta area reported losing her slippers and toe rings amid the pushing as she attempted to move towards the stage.

Women attending the programme questioned the arrangements at the venue, particularly given the large number of people invited. They raised concerns about inadequate crowd management, limited drinking water and the absence of sufficiently safe pathways during the event. The situation became particularly difficult during the distribution of gifts, when people moved towards the collection points and crowd pressure increased. The incident has raised questions about the preparedness and safety arrangements for large public gatherings, while police officials continue to maintain that they had not been informed about the event beforehand.

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