Stampede at Indian temple leaves 10 dead

Published August 10, 2015
Thousands of people tried to force their way into the temple when its gates opened at daybreak, causing stampede.—AP/File
Thousands of people tried to force their way into the temple when its gates opened at daybreak, causing stampede.—AP/File

PATNA: A stampede at a temple during a Hindu religious festival left at least 10 pilgrims dead and dozens injured on early Monday in eastern India, police said.

Thousands of people tried to force their way into the temple when its gates opened at daybreak in Deoghar, a town in Jharkhand state, said police officer Subodh Kumar.

At least 10 pilgrims, including eight women, died and another 48 were injured, state Home Commissioner N.N. Pande told reporters. The injured, including four in serious condition, were being treated at a hospital.

He said tens of thousands of people were participating in a month long festival at the temple of Shiva, the destroyer, one of the main deities of Hinduism.

"Suddenly there was a push and we all fell down," said Nidhi Kumari, a pilgrim who was waiting to enter the temple.

The town is nearly 255 kilometers south of Patna, the capital of Bihar state.

Deadly stampedes are fairly common during Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas with few safety or crowd control measures.

In July, 27 people died when tens of thousands of pilgrims taking part in a Hindu religious bathing festival triggered a massive stampede on a riverbank in southern India's Andhra Pradesh state.

In October 2013, a stampede in Madhya Pradesh state in central India killed more than 110 people, mostly women and children.

Also read: 10 Hindu pilgrims killed in Bangladesh stampede

Opinion

Who bears the cost?

Who bears the cost?

This small window of low inflation should compel a rethink of how the authorities and employers understand the average household’s

Editorial

Internet restrictions
Updated 23 Dec, 2024

Internet restrictions

Notion that Pakistan enjoys unprecedented freedom of expression difficult to reconcile with the reality of restrictions.
Bangladesh reset
23 Dec, 2024

Bangladesh reset

THE vibes were positive during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meeting with Bangladesh interim leader Dr...
Leaving home
23 Dec, 2024

Leaving home

FROM asylum seekers to economic migrants, the continuing exodus from Pakistan shows mass disillusionment with the...
Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...