Two Dead, 17 Injured in Stampede at TikToker’s Mehndi Event

Two people were killed and 17 others injured after a large crowd surged during a TikToker’s mehndi celebration at Faraz Ground in Daska, prompting police to register a criminal case and launch raids against the event’s organisers. The gathering had attracted members of the public through announcements of a prize draw involving vehicles, motorcycles and cash rewards.

Police said the congestion developed near the entrance as attendees attempted to enter the venue. Several people fell during the rush and were trampled before police and Rescue 1122 teams reached the ground, moved the injured to hospitals and cleared routes for ambulances.

One victim, identified as Aqeel from Budha Goraya, died at the scene. Another critically injured attendee, Rehan from Glotian Kalan, was transferred to Mayo Hospital in Lahore but later succumbed to his injuries, raising the death toll to two. Seventeen people remained injured following the two deaths.

Sialkot District Police Officer retired Captain Dost Muhammad visited the location after receiving information about the incident. Police subsequently registered a case at Motra police station against TikToker and event organiser Ansar Mahmood, also known as Mr Patlu, along with other named and unidentified suspects.

The first information report names nine people, including individuals connected with the organisation and ownership of the venue. Police also included between 40 and 45 unidentified security guards in the case and invoked provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.

Six suspects were arrested during raids conducted after the incident, while efforts continued to locate the principal organiser and other accused persons. The arrests form part of an investigation examining crowd management, security arrangements and responsibility for allowing the gathering to become dangerously overcrowded.

The district administration said permission had been issued for a mehfil-e-samaa and qawwali programme scheduled after evening prayers. Investigators will need to determine whether the prize distribution, public invitations and the scale of attendance remained within the approved conditions or constituted violations of the event’s no-objection certificate.

The incident highlights the risks associated with heavily promoted social-media gatherings when attendance exceeds the capacity of a venue or organisers fail to establish controlled entry and emergency routes. Public prize announcements can attract crowds beyond initial estimates, making professional security, barriers, capacity limits and medical planning essential.

Funeral prayers for the two victims were held in their respective villages before their burials. Authorities are expected to continue pursuing the remaining suspects, record witness statements and review available video footage to establish how the crowd surge began and whether negligence by the organisers or security personnel contributed to the deaths.