Lucknow, India
At least 21 women were trampled to death in India this week when a politician’s announcement of a sari giveaway caused a stampede. More than 10,000 people were crowded into a Lucknow park, at a rally for prime ministerial aide Lalji Tandon. When they heard that free saris, the colorful garments worn by Indian women, were being given out in honor of Tandon’s birthday, the crowd surged, and dozens fell underfoot. Officials with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party initially tried to blame the deaths on heatstroke, noting that “such things happen during a big gathering.” Hours after the stampede, the park was littered with unclaimed saris.
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