At Least 60 Die in Indian Temple Stampede

By Michael E. Sanchez
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

UTTAR PRADESH, India- At least 63 people have died in a stampede after the gate of a Hindu temple collapsed in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police say.  Dozens were also injured in the panic that in ensued at the temple in Pratapgarh district, 400 miles southeast of Delhi.  Police say that so far all of the dead identified are women and children.  The temple gate was still being built.  Hundreds of people have been killed in stampedes at crowded Indian temples in recent years.

Thursday’s incident happened at a popular Ram Janaki temple in the town of Kunda in Pratapgarh district, about 15 miles north of the city of Allahabad.  The owner of the temple is Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj, a Hindu holy man, who was marking the anniversary of the death of his wife with ritual feast, police say.

A large number of people had gathered for the ceremonial feast and clothing hand-out.  The stampede occurred when people rushed to collect the offerings being handed out.  Local journalists stated that those in the stampeded were mostly poor people from local villages.

According to police officials, an iron gate leading to the temple collapsed, which lead to a crowd surge.  From the scene of the disaster, assistant superintendent police SP Pathak told the AFP news agency “We have now counted all the bodies and they include 37 children and 26 women who had come to collect free gifts.”

Emergency teams and ambulances rushed to the site , some from neighboring districts and the injured have been taken to hospitals.

Hundreds gathered at local hospitals to receive news of their relatives.  38-year-old Gudal,whose seven-year-old- daughter died in the stampede, told the AP news agency “She had just wandered in to see what was happening.”

Government officials say it appears the organizers of the event were unprepared to deal with the size of the crowd.  Eyewitnesses state that it took some time for help to arrive on the scene.  This was not an isolated incident, with many similar accidents where large numbers of people congregate in an area that is unable to handle big gatherings.

In 2008, about 300 people were killed in stampedes.

For more information, please see:
RTE News- 63 Killed In Indian Temple Stampede– 4 March 2010
EURONEWS- 60 Die In Indian Temple Stampede– 4 March 2010

Author: Impunity Watch Archive