Stampede kills six at festival
Devotees returning from annual event rushed to get onto jetty, minister says
Astampede in eastern India killed six women yesterday as devotees returning from a religious festival rushed to get onto a jetty, a minister said.
Some 1.5 million people had assembled at Gangasagar in the West Bengal state to take a dip in the river on the occasion of the Hindu harvest festival of Makar Sakranti.
The devotees were on their way back from the festival when the stampede broke out, local minister Manturam Pakhira said. “Ten others were injured as the pilgrims rushed to board vessels to reach Kolkata,” he added.
A search operation to look for those who might have fallen into the river during the stampede was launched, PTI news agency reported.