In a horrifying incident, at least 87 people, including women and three children, were killed after a stampede broke out at a religious event in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on Tuesday, officials have said.

The stampede occurred during a 'satsang' (prayer meeting). Visuals from the Community Health Centre showed several bodies being brought there in buses and tempos in the presence of crying relatives.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken note of the incident and, on his directions, a committee has been set up to investigate the incident. President Droupadi Murmu also expressed her condolences to the families of those who were killed.

Hathras District Magistrate Ashish Kumar said that, according to numbers received from the community health centre, 50-60 people had died from the district. Officials in Etah district confirmed the deaths of an additional 27.

"We have received 27 bodies, of which 25 are female and two are male. Some injured have also been taken to hospitals. We have heard that there was a stampede during a 'satsang'," said Chief Medical Officer, Etah, Dr Umesh Kumar Tripathi.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Etah, Rajesh Kumar said three children were among those killed in the stampede, which broke out in a village within the Sikandra Rao police station limits in Hathras.

"So far, 27 bodies have been sent to the hospital, of which 23 are women and three are children," Mr Kumar said.

A woman who attended the 'satsang' said it was organised in honour of a local guru and the stampede broke out as the crowd began to leave.

In a post on X, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said instructions have been given to officials to conduct relief and rescue operations on a war footing and to provide proper treatment to the injured. Two state ministers, Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary and Sandeep Singh, have left for the village and the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police have also been sent there.

Expressing his condolences to the families of those who have died, he said a committee has been set up to investigate the incident. The panel will be headed by the Additional Director General of Police, Agra, and the Aligarh Commissioner.

In a post on X President Droupadi Murmu said the incident was heart-rending.

"The news of the death of many devotees, including women and children, in the accident in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh is heart-rending. I express my deepest condolences to those who lost their family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," she posted in Hindi.