Stampede like situation created at Congress' Bareilly marathon event

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 4

A stampede like situation was created today in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district at a marathon organised by a Congress leader as part of the party's "ladki hoon, lad sakti hun (I am girl, I can fight) election campaign ahead of upcoming assembly polls in the state.

 The visuals of the event, which came on social media, showed that hundreds of women and teenage girls participated the event without mask.

 The massive crowd as marathon participants started the long run, but soon a few of them in the front tripped and fell to the ground, which led to a brief scare as those in the back pushed them.

 The situation almost led to a stampede, but thankfully no one sustained any serious injury.

 Congress leader and former Bareilly Mayor Supriya Arom, who organised the event, is reported to have said, there was nothing to worry.

 According to reports three of the girls who sustained minor injuries have been sent to district hospital for treatment.

 "Thousands in crowds also went to Vaishno Devi. What about that? See, it is very human thing. These are schoolgirls and they only wanted to come out for a bit. But if anyone is offended for any reason, I want to apologise on behalf of the Congress," Aron reported to have said.

 The Congress, which has been reduced to a non-player in Uttar Pradesh, has been focusing on gender equality in view of the spiralling crime against women in the state. Some of these cases - including the gang-rape of a Dalit woman in Hathras, and a case in Unnao - made headlines and provoked outrage across the country.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra first gave the "ladki hun, lad sakti hun" election slogan last month.