The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an ‘orange’ alert for 15 states in northern India on Tuesday and Wednesday amid a forecast of moderate to heavy rainfall. A ‘red’ alert was also issued for Gujarat as the IMD forecasts extremely heavy rainfall in the state on July 3, after southwest monsoon took over the country this week. An orange alert was also issued for northeastern states on July 3, with the weather agency predicting isolated heavy rainfall for several areas in northwestern India. It is expected that moderate to heavy rain will lash Delhi on Wednesday, as the national capital continues to deal with waterlogging in many areas after isolated rains on Tuesday. The Met office this morning predicted moderate to heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds.

At 1.45pm on Tuesday afternoon, as Suraj Pal — or Bhole Baba as he is now known in Uttar Pradesh — descended from the stage at Hathras’s Phulrai Mughalgarhi village after close to an hour-long sermon, Dharmendra Kumar watched as the crowd surged towards him. Over his two decades as an ostensible preacher, his devotees had developed the practice of picking up the sand on which he walks, called “raj” by his associates. But in the minutes that followed, Kumar saw ghastly scenes unfold before him. The ground was wet, and people began to slip and fall. The day was hot and humid, and the enclosed tent was packed far beyond its capacity. As pandemonium broke and people began to panic, many were crushed as they desperately tried to exit.

Source: hindustantimes