SIALKOT – A night of wedding celebrations turned chaotic in Sialkot district after huge crowd gathered for the Mehndi ceremony of TikToker Ansar Mahmood, aka Mr Patlu, triggering a stampede that killed one man and injured at least 18 others.
The horrifying incident occurred on Saturday night at Faraz Cricket Ground on Daska Road, where hundreds of people had gathered to attend the TikToker’s wedding celebrations and a prize-distribution event.
Sialkot Police registered a case against Mr Patlu, his brother, event organisers and others after the tragedy, with serious allegations of negligence, violation of safety regulations and mismanagement of the gathering.
As per FIR, Mr Patlu invited large numbers of people to his wedding function through social media, attracting attendees with promises of prizes, including motorcycles and a car. The Mehndi ceremony and prize-distribution programme were scheduled after Isha prayers at the cricket ground near Faraz Sports Factory on Daska Road.
The situation reportedly spiralled out of control when Mr Patlu allegedly stood on the stage and announced through a mic that everyone should immediately enter the ground. The announcement triggered sudden rush as hundreds of attendees attempted to enter simultaneously, resulting in intense pushing and shoving.
Several people fell during the chaos, while others were trapped beneath the surging crowd. A man identified as Aqeel, a resident of Budha Goraya, was crushed to death by the charged crowd, who were looking for gifts.
FIR confirms that 18 people sustained injuries during the stampede. The injured were identified as Muhammad Rafiq, Rehan, Azam, Muhammad Siddique, Hammad, Abdul Rasheed, Mansoor Ali, Arshad Mahmood, Sarfaraz, Zulfiqar, Rehman Ali, Ehsanullah, Muhammad Danish, Mudassar, Tasawar Abbas, Muhammad Hanif, Mehboob Hussain and Munawar Ali.
The victims belonged to different areas, including Sialkot, Daska, Gujranwala, Lahore, Khanewal, Sheikhupura, Zafarwal and Azad Kashmir. Initial reports said that at least 14 people had suffered serious injuries. However, the subsequent police report listed 18 injured individuals without specifying the condition of each victim.
FIR Registered Against Mr Patlu
Local Police Station registered FIR on the complaint of SHO Mubeen Cheema under Sections 322, 431, 440, 188, 109, 148 and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 16 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960.
Police alleged that Mr Patlu and his brother Kashif organised the wedding function with the assistance of Haji Shahid Javed, the owner of the cricket ground. FIR also names several individuals who managed the event, including Daniyal, Muneer Ahmed, Mohsin Ali, Irshad Ali, Abdullah and Zubair Mansha.
According to police, the organisers violated the standard operating procedures attached to the event’s permission, allegedly contributing to the fatal stampede.
Dozens of security guards had been deployed to manage the wedding gathering but despite these arrangements, the crowd reportedly became uncontrollable when attendees rushed towards the ground following the stage announcement.
The incident raised serious questions about crowd management and whether sufficient safety measures were implemented to accommodate the large number of people attracted by the prize-distribution event. The situation worsened further when people blocked the main Daska-Sialkot Road following the stampede.
Police started legal proceedings to determine the circumstances behind the incident and establish responsibility for the alleged safety violations. Cops are now looking into the organisers’ role, the public announcements made during the gathering and compliance with the event’s permission conditions.
TikToker Mr Patlu’s Mehndi leaves 1 dead, dozen injured amid Chaotic Prize Draw
