DHAKA: More than 50 pilgrims were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede at Ratangarh temple in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday morning.

While more than 40 were killed in stampede, others died of drowning after jumping off a bride near the temple.

The tragedy was caused by rumour that the bridge on Sindh River— through which the pilgrims were heading towards temple— was collapsing. There were more than 50,000 devotees around the spot.

"The figure could be more than 50. We are yet to recover bodies from the river," Chambal range DIG DK Arya told TOI on phone.

The tragedy occurred 55km from the district headquarters — when the pilgrims were crossing the Sindh river bridge to attend a religious ritual on the ninth day of the Durga festival at the Mandula Devi temple — place were more than 35 pilgrims were washed away in 2006 when water was released from the Manikheda dam in adjoining Shivpuri district.

"The casualties` cold be in two figures, we are waiting for final reports," says DGP Nandan Kumar Dubey. Police officials are on the spot to recover the bodies and send injured to hospital

Senior BSP leader and former Congress Rajendra Bharti alleged that the Collector and SP were busy with election management in Basai — 85km from the district headquarters — notwithstanding the fact that there would be a massive gathering near the temple. The administrative officials claim it otherwise.


Source: TOI
BDST: 1504 HRS, OCT 13, 2013
MR/AKA/BSk