Meerut, Aug. 28 -- A Raksha Bandhan celebration organised by Bareilly mayor Umesh Gautam turned chaotic on Thursday afternoon after a massive gathering of women led to a stampede-like situation at Bareilly Club Ground. Some participants claimed about six women fainted amid intense pushing and overcrowding. Though family members claimed one woman died during treatment at a hospital later in the evening, the police have said they have no information about any death. Manush Pareek, superintendent of police (City), told HT, "No permission was sought for the said programme. Following intimation regarding disturbance, police team reached the site and controlled the situation. So far, we have not received any complaints regarding the death of any female attendee." Around 20,000 women had reportedly been invited to the event to tie Rakhi to the mayor. The programme was organised by Gautam and his son, Parth Gautam, a day before Raksha Bandhan. Women began arriving at the Bareilly Club Ground from around 10am. By 11am, the pandal erected at the venue was packed. As the crowd increased, the queues became difficult to manage and women began crossing the barricades and moving towards the stage. The situation reportedly worsened when gift bags began being distributed from the stage. Women rushed towards the gifts, resulting in further pushing and several women falling over one another. A number of women were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Mayor Umesh Gautam said there had been no disorder at the programme and attributed the difficulties to the unusually large turnout. "There was no disorder at the programme. The number of sisters was very high, so if some sister faced a little inconvenience, that is natural. However, all the sisters gave me their blessings and affection. I sincerely thank all the sisters for this," Gautam said. Amid overcrowding, several women complained that their mobile phones, purses, cash and gold chains had been stolen during the commotion. As the crowd near the stage continued to grow, the mayor attempted to intervene and manage the situation. He sent his son, Parth Gautam, to the main gate to arrange for women to tie Rakhi at different locations. However, the crowd pressure did not ease. Women continued pushing forward amid heat and humidity. A woman wearing a red sari emerged from the venue in a distressed state while carrying her young child. She said a sudden, forceful push from behind occurred while she was getting Rakhi tied. "Inside, the situation was such that we could not understand how to get out," she said. A woman from the Bhuta area said the crowd became so dense while she was moving towards the stage that breathing became difficult. "Someone pulled my hand. During the pushing and shoving, my slippers and even my toe ring fell off," she said. The woman said she and others narrowly escaped being crushed. "We were almost crushed. Somehow, we managed to get out while stumbling and falling," she said. Another woman alleged that although thousands of women had been invited, adequate arrangements had not been made to control and manage such a large gathering. "Even in this heat, there was no drinking water. There was no one inside the pandal to help the women. Elderly women, in particular, faced a lot of difficulty," she said....