A video has gone viral on social media showing attendees looting mats being distributed before the start of an International Yoga Day event held at the Kailash Prakash Stadium in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday.
The event was organised jointly by the Meerut District Administration and the AYUSH Department.
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More than 2,500 people gathered at the stadium to take part in the yoga event, India TV Hindi reported.
However, shortly before the program began, chaos broke out when yoga mats were brought to the venue for participants. Eyewitnesses said both students and other attendees were involved in the scramble, while some participants were reportedly left without mats, the report added.
Watch here:
Crowds scramble & loot free yoga mats at an International Yoga Day event in Meerut, UP. pic.twitter.com/gM9ach540v
A video of the event quickly gained traction, prompting a wave of reactions. “Just see the cringe smile on their faces after stealing. These are the same people who steal bedsheets and lights from trains, plants and pots from roadsides, taps and other things from public places and offices… The same people then cry about facilities and services. Shameless!” a social media user wrote.
“These people will go home & teach their children how to be a good person,” another user commented. “This is common in every college… people come for this,” a third user reacted.
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International Yoga Day 2026
International Yoga Day is celebrated annually on June 21 to promote the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga. This year, the theme was ‘Yoga for Healthy Ageing’. It highlights yoga’s contribution to physical fitness, emotional strength, mental wellness and healthy ageing.
Speaking at a gathering in Kolkata’s Red Road, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that yoga has evolved into “the world’s largest community celebration” and underlined the importance of this year’s theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing.”
According to organisers, more than 2,500 people gathered at Kailash Prakash Stadium to take part in the yoga session (Photo: @gharkekalesh/X) 
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