Temple stampede leaves over 65 people dead in Uttar Pradesh

At least 65 people were killed and 30 injured on Thursday in a stampede at Ram Janki temple in Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, North India.

The tragedy in Mangarh area of Kunda town, about 180 km from Lucknow occurred when the people rushed wildly to get gifts of utensils at a free food luncheon supply function. The dead included 37 children and 26 women.

Sixty bodies had been recovered and more could have been killed in the tragedy, said UP Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Brij Lal. Many of the injured in hospitals were reported to be in critical condition. TV channels showed gruesome pictures of mangled bodies and dresses strewn around.

The stampede occurred after the main gate of the temple collapsed. More than 30 people were trapped in the debris. Most of the trapped people were women and children. There was a huge crowd gathered at the temple to attend a 'bhandara' (luncheon) of Swami Kripaluji Maharaj.

Thursday’s function in the ashram, was held to commemorate the death anniversary of Kripalu Maharaj’s wife.

A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati. Ms. Mayawati also despatched the PWD and Excise Minister, Naseemuddin Siddiqui and the Panchayati Raj Minister, Swami Prasad Maurya to Mangarh for supervising the relief and medical operations.

Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh told reporters that the tragedy occurred at around noon in the ashram. The programme was originally scheduled to begin at 2.30 PM but started earlier as the crowd entered the precincts of the ashram. A portion of the entrance gate was opened but the structure collapsed under pressure from the crowd. The dead were either crushed under the debris of the gate, or were killed in the ensuing stampede.

The turnout was more than expected with over 10,000 people crowding the venue, which did not have proper exit gates for safety.

Temple stampedes are not uncommon in India, where huge crowds gather to pray on auspicious days at complexes where the approach roads and entrances are usually narrow. In 2008, more than 380 people were killed in stampedes and scores injured in two Hindu temples in the northern states of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. In January 2005, more than 260 Hindu pilgrims, including several children, were killed in a stampede in a temple in the western state of Maharashtra.

- Asian Tribune -