12 Dead in Stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra
In the Mata Vaishno Devi temple located in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, a stampede broke out at around 2:30 pm on the intervening night of Friday-Saturday. 12 people died in the stampede. At the same time, 13 people have been reported injured. The condition of three people is said to be critical. The injured have been admitted to the local Narayana Hospital. Among those who lost their lives are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Among them are two women. The visit to the Vaishno Devi temple has been stopped.
PM Modi expressed condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the stampede and has directed all possible treatment to the injured ones. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the families of those killed in the stampede at Vaishno Devi Shrine and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Narendra Modi tweeted, "Extremely saddened by the loss of lives in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan.
The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of those killed in the stampede. Along with this, he has ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the incident. Principal Secretary (Home) has been made the head of the inquiry committee.
According to the information received, thousands of devotees had gathered in the Vaishno Devi temple. The crowd was so huge that people could not find a way to escape. When there was a stampede, people started running here and there. The one who fell was crushed by others. According to the information given from the police control room, on the occasion of New Year, a huge crowd of devotees had gathered there. Relief and rescue operation is on. According to the information received, there was a dispute between some people, due to which there was a scuffle. This led to a stampede.
Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh said that 12 people have died in the stampede. 13 people have been injured. According to initial reports, there was an argument between some people who came to visit. After this people pushed each other, after which a stampede broke out.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai said that a large crowd had gathered near gate number three. From here a line is formed for darshan. The situation became uncontrollable due to the large crowd. A fight broke out between two or three youths. During this, there was a scuffle. Two or three youngsters lost their balance due to the slope. After that people kept on falling. Due to the slope, there was more stampede.
An eyewitness told that people had stopped there after having darshan. Due to this, there was a huge crowd. There was no place to get out. Two people who were with me were hit by the stampede. One has died, another has been injured. I and my wife were also there. It is the grace of Mata Rani that we were saved.
