Kanpur clothing sale triggers stampede-like situation

A promotional social media offer at Alam Mart in Kanpur, India, led to a chaotic stampede-like situation involving thousands of shoppers. The store had advertised a special birthday sale on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, promising customers the opportunity to purchase any clothing item for ₹16 during the first 16 minutes after midnight on August 16.

Thousands of people gathered in the Anwarganj area starting around 11 pm on August 15, causing massive traffic disruptions and blocking local roads. As the crowd grew and the shop was reportedly closed to prevent further entry, tensions rose between customers and employees.

Police intervened to manage the unrest, eventually resorting to a lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Authorities have registered a case against shop owners Mohammed Alam, Rayees Alam, and Salman Alam. Salman Alam has been arrested, while the other two remain at large.