At least three people died and 28 others were injured in a stampede at Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati's rally in Lucknow, ANI reported. More than one lakh people attended the event at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar ground in the Uttar Pradesh capital. Several children were also reportedly missing, according to NDTV.
BSP state president Ramachal Rajbhar claimed that a woman died as a result of the humidity and not because there was a stampede, ANI reported. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who died in the stampede.
While ambulances were sent to the spot to treat the injured, they found it difficult to make their way through the hordes of people trying to leave the arena. The injured were administered first aid at a clinic set up by a hospital run by a charitable trust. They were also taken to nearby hospitals.
At the rally, launched ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Mayawati accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government of spreading communalism in the country, referring to the growing number of crimes committed against the Dalit community, according to NDTV. "Dalits are being targeted...in the name of cow protection. Minorities and Dalits are being harassed, as BJP wants to convert India into a Hindu nation," the BSP chief said, assuring the public that this "harassment" would stop if her party was voted to power.
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