DERA GHAZI KHAN, Dec 17: The 19 people killed in a stampede triggered by a fire in the courtyard of a house holding a wedding ceremony were laid to rest on Sunday. The incident had occurred in village Jhok Utra, 30km off here, late on Saturday.
The dead included 11 women and eight children. The groom and the bride escaped unhurt.
According to eyewitnesses, a large number of women and children had come to attend a henna ceremony arranged at a small courtyard having just one exit point.
An electric short-circuit apparently set fire to the tent. This triggered a stampede, resulting in the casualties.
There were conflicting reports about the death toll. While the DG Khan administration put it at 26, others insisted on 21.
However, family elders confirmed to Dawn that the toll was 19.
The reports that the bride was among the dead also turned out to be wrong. The dead victim thought to be the bride was, in fact, a newly-wed girl. She was a relative of Abdul Hayee Joya, the groom.
The deceased were identified as Kundan Mai (66), Zarrena Bibi (41), newly-wed girl Hafeeza (22), Naureen (17), Yasmeen (17), Iqra (12), Mehreen (55), Mansab Bibi (55), Marium (35), Iqra (3), Nousheen (17), Tauseef (1), Fatima (2), Javairia (3), Tehseen (2), Usman (2), Zuhra (9), Sultana (9) and Atifa (15).
Of the 35 injured, Naseem (27), Safia (27), Khalida (30) and Ausho (60) were referred to Multan’s Nishtar Hospital due to their critical condition.
