Stampede kills 24 at religious gathering in India

Published October 15, 2016
Indian bystanders gather near discarded belongings at the roadside following the fatal stampede ─AFP
Indian bystanders gather near discarded belongings at the roadside following the fatal stampede ─AFP

A stampede at a religious gathering in northern India killed at least 24 people on Saturday as thousands of devotees of a controversial guru tried to cross a bridge at once, said Indian Police officials.

The followers of Jai Gurudev, a leader of a local religious sect, had gathered on the outskirts of Varanasi, a Hindu holy town in Uttar Pradesh state, when the deadly stampede broke out.

“We can confirm that 24 people have died in the incident. Nineteen of the dead are women,” said police inspector general Hari Ram Sharma.

At least 20 others were injured in the crush and were undergoing treatment at nearby hospitals. Devotees from nearby districts had gathered for the two-day religious congregation on the banks of river Ganges.

State police chief Javeed Ahmed blamed overcrowding on the old iron bridge for the disaster.

“They had sought permission for 5,000 persons but many more people reached and joined the procession,” Ahmed told India's NDTV news network.

“They were crossing a bridge when some rumour-mongering happened which led to the disaster.” A spokesman of the religious sect Raj Bahadur told the Press Trust of India (PTI).

“The devotees were proceeding towards the camp (across the river) but police started sending them back. This led to rumours that the bridge has collapsed,” he added.

TV footage showed piles of colourful clothing and slippers lying in a heap with policemen trying to clear the debris.

Stampedes at India's religious festivals, where police and volunteer stewards are often overwhelmed by the sheer size of the crowds, are not uncommon.

In July last year, a stampede on the banks of a holy river killed 27 pilgrims in southern India.

Around 115 people were killed in October 2013 at a stampede near a temple in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, site of another deadly stampede there seven years earlier.

Opinion

Editorial

Ill omens
Updated 12 Feb, 2025

Ill omens

One wonders whether institutional leadership realises the long-term ramifications of the ongoing "remaking" of judiciary.
Sunken dreams
12 Feb, 2025

Sunken dreams

ANOTHER tragedy has struck Pakistani migrants seeking a better future. A boat capsizing off the Libyan coast has ...
Hate in India
12 Feb, 2025

Hate in India

HISTORY shows that rulers use hate speech to provoke hate crimes and ‘othering’ among communities. Indian Prime...
IMF scrutiny
Updated 11 Feb, 2025

IMF scrutiny

Strengthening foundations of the economic superstructure will help make the economy competitive and boost growth.
Shadow voices
11 Feb, 2025

Shadow voices

OVER the weekend, another ‘open letter’ addressed to the army chief and attributed to former prime minister ...
Paradise at a premium
11 Feb, 2025

Paradise at a premium

PAKISTAN’S recent triumph at the New York Travel and Adventure Show 2025, winning the Best Partner Pavilion Award,...