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At the very least 12 folks have died and 13 have been injured in a stampede at a spiritual shrine in Indian-administered Kashmir as 1000’s of pilgrims massed to supply prayers.
The catastrophe occurred round 3am on New 12 months’s Day whereas it was nonetheless darkish on the path to the Vaishno Devi shrine, one of many space’s most revered Hindu websites.
“Individuals fell over one another … It was troublesome to determine whose leg or arms have been tangled with whose,” witness Ravinder, who gave just one title, instructed AFP. “I helped decide up eight our bodies by the point ambulances arrived after about half an hour. I really feel fortunate to be alive however am nonetheless shaking with reminiscence of what I noticed.”
One official stated that there was a rush to supply particular prayers for the brand new yr however this was not confirmed by others.
Mahesh, a devotee who gave just one title, instructed Related Press the stampede occurred close to one of many gates the place pilgrims entered and exited the path to the shrine.
“One thing occurred close to one of many gates and I discovered myself underneath a crush of individuals. I suffocated and fell however by some means managed to face up,” he stated. “I noticed folks shifting over the our bodies. It was a horrifying sight, however I managed to assist in rescuing some injured folks.”
One other devotee named Priyansh stated he and 10 associates from New Delhi arrived on Friday night time to go to the shrine and that two of his associates died within the incident.
“I’ve by no means seen something like this,” he stated.
The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, expressed his condolences on Twitter. “Extraordinarily saddened by the lack of lives as a result of a stampede,” Modi wrote.
Earlier than the pandemic, day-after-day about 100,000 devotees would trek up a steep winding monitor to the slim cave containing the shrine to Vaishno Devi, about 60km from town of Jammu. Authorities had capped the each day quantity to 25,000 however witnesses and press stories stated that this will likely have been exceeded a number of instances over.
Two stampedes in as many months in 2008 – one in Rajasthan and one in Himachal Pradesh – left greater than 370 folks useless. Others in Kerala in 2011 and in Madhya Pradesh two years later every killed greater than 100.
Within the newest incident, different stories recommended an argument had damaged out between devotees.
Rescue operations began instantly and the injured – a few of whom have been reported to be in a critical situation – have been taken to hospital.
Video footage on social media confirmed small minivan ambulances with flashing lights dashing to hospitals whereas it was nonetheless darkish, in addition to large crowds.
Entry to the shrine was halted after the stampede however later resumed.
Witness Ravinder stated the crush occurred at some extent the place enormous crowds of individuals coming down from the shrine meet these going up. He estimated that there have been no less than 100,000 folks.
“Nobody was checking registration slips of the devotees. I’ve been there many instances however by no means seen such a rush of individuals,” he stated. “It was solely when a few of us managed to raise a useless physique up with our palms that folks might see [what was happening] and made house for shifting the our bodies out,” he stated.
With Agence France-Presse and Related Press
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