Stampede led to over 20 killed, 50 injured in a temple in Gujarat | Indian Colorful Traditions and Culture

Vol XXXVI (No. 5), 16 May 2008

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Stampede led to over 20 killed, 50 injured in a temple in Gujarat
MIL/ Agencies, Oct 14, 2007. IR Summary

Ahmedabad, Gujarat-India, October 14, 2007 –IR Sumamry- The worshipping places do not seem to be safe in India, may be for any reason including undisciplined or uncontrollable crowd. About two lakh devotees had assembled today at the Pavagadh temple premises in the Panchmahal district of Gujarat on the occasion of Navratras and met with an accident.

A stampede took place on Sunday at 11 A.M. killing over 20 devotees including 8 members of a single family apart from injuring over 50.

The main reason believed to have caused the stampede is the narrow width of the temple. Since there were more than 2 lakh people gathered over there, some misunderstanding caused the unruly stampede, the path was narrow and the people had no such pre-warning.

The stampede occurred at a point called Patia Pul among the devotees, those who were coming down the hill and those who were climbing the hill.

Emergency help is, however, being rendered to the affected devotees in the rescue operation by the people as well as by the administration.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has condoled the death of stampede victims, it is of course a sympathetic gesture but there is an immediate need for the authorities to take care in such places and particularly the accident prone areas and also to declare high compensation to the affected families.

Our administration is normally found incompetent all over whenever and wherever such incidents occur. We still hope, hope against hope every time and find the recurrencea in some part or the other. It is a matter that the govt. should take seriously, how to discipline the crowd in such places and how to provide safety to their lives with pre-warning in such accident prone areas.

The Gujarat government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the stampede incident and two senior ministers have rushed to the spot. Sonia has also assured the state government of Central support.

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