12 pilgrims killed in shrine stampede
AT LEAST 12 pilgrims died, and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede at a Hindu shrine in Kashmir on Saturday, police said.
“Twelve pilgrims died, and 14 were injured in a stampede in the early morning at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine,” said senior police officer Mukesh Singh.
All the injured were admitted to hospital.
The stampede broke out when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan shrine, according to another official.
“Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a condolence message.
ANI reported that Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced a string of measures to ensure the safety of pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra.
In a series of tweets, the Office of Sinha said that in a meeting chaired by him with the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, it was decided that steps, including de-congestion of the entire track; appropriate use of technology for effective crowd and queue management; and radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking; would be installed.
They said members of the board would monitor the implementation.
“Directions issued for physical and systematic improvements wherever required after critical examination, augmentation of infrastructure, online booking to be made 100 percent.”
Earlier, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Raghav Langer, who is probing the stampede, had issued a public notice stating that those desiring to submit evidence or facts may appear before the inquiry committee either online or in-person by January 5.
The stampede took place at around 2.15am near gate number 3.
Police said as per initial reports, an argument broke out, which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede. |