Vaishno Devi’s stampede: Jammu and Kashmir director-general Dilbag Singh said the stampede came after an altercation that led to people pushing each other.
A stampede at the 700-year-old Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu on Saturday morning, possibly caused by an altercation between some young men, left 12 people dead and 15 injured, according to sources.
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The tragic incident took place about 300 meters from Holy Cave located at the foot of a three-point mountain, at about 2.15 am, said Ramesh Kumar, chief executive of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, who was given the authority to care for a shrine and a pilgrimage to one of the most revered Hindu shrines.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Manoj Sinha ordered an investigation into the incident and set up a panel led by union secretary-general Shaleen Kabra. Other panel members will be the additional director general of police Mukesh Singh and Jammu section commissioner Raghav Langer.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Minister Jitendra Singh will address the situation, As per the instruction given by PM Narendra Modi. PM Modi tweeted that they were dishearted by the recent deaths in Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Words of condolence to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon.
President Ram Nath Kovind said he was “deeply saddened” by the news and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. Interior Minister Amit Shah said he was “deeply saddened” by the horrific accident. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said the tragedy was “heartbreaking”.
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The circumstances that led to the student overcrowding are still unclear. “Initial reports from the scene indicate that there was an altercation between the young boys, and within seconds, there was a stampede,” said director-general of police Dilbag Singh.
Aditya Sharma, a traveller, said that, according to the PTI news agency, there was a huge influx of volunteers and some people lying on the ground were crushed.
Local store owners emphasize that the mountain-bound holy trail is full of dedicated people, far more than could be achieved without violating the community-sanctioned sanctions imposed by the Covid-19 epidemic.
Video clips of the passage to the sanctum sanctorum, a pilgrim’s place to spend the night before New Year’s Eve 12 miles from the beginning of the yatra, Ban Ganga, show the crowded crowds in a confined space.
In another clip of the situation after a stampede, pilgrims can be seen trying to wake someone lying on the floor.
Jagdev Singh, an officer at the top of the mountain police station, said the stampede took place near an X-ray machine leading to the sanctuary.
Eight of the dead people were identified officials said, according to the PTI.
Commissioner of Jammu - Raghav Langer said the bodies were being sent home as they were still being identified. He also said authorities had contacted the families of 10 people who had died.
Langer did not respond to allegations that the shrine board had allowed more people than those who could not be housed safely, insisting that the prescribed operating procedure be followed. He did not elaborate, saying that an investigation had already been launched.
Source- Hindustan Times
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