The stampede during Hindu festival Dussehra in Indian state of Madhya Pradesh caused death of 115 Hindu devotees and injured over 80 others.

New Delhi, Oct 14/Nationalturk- At least 115 Hindu devotees were killed and over 80 injured during a stampede of Hindu festival Dussehra in Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

Media reports said the panic was triggered by rumours that the bridge across Sindh river in Indian state of Madhya Pradesh the Hindu devotees were crossing yesterday was about to collapse after a tractor hit the fence of the bridge causing panic.

Unconfirmed reports said that the stampede took place as some people were trying to jump the queue and police used batons to control them.

Thousands of Hindus had gathered near the town of Datia in Madhya Pradesh for the Dussehra festival.

‘Some people trying to jump queue

Some reports said stampede took place as some people were trying to jump the queue and police used batons to control them. However, police has denied the charge.

At least 115 people including at least 42 women and 30 children were killed. Over 80 people were also injured in the stampede and have been hospitalised.

Emergency crews and specialist divers were scouring the river for bodies but paused the search at nightfall on Sunday. The search was resumed on Monday morning.

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed as anxious relatives searched for their loved ones from the large number of bodies that lay on the bridge.’

Police said the rumour of a bridge collapsing sparked the stampede.

“A tractor hit the fence of the bridge which caused panic and a rumour spread that the bridge is about to collapse. This is the initial reason cited, it will be clear after a further investigation,” said a top civil official of Madhya Pradesh.

Govt orders judicial inquiry

Madhya Pradesh Health Minister Narottam Mishra said a judicial inquiry had been ordered.

“Information from locals suggests that rumours of the bridge giving way could have led to the stampede,” he said.

However, questions are also being raised over the preparedness of the officials with reports suggesting there were only 250 policemen to control a crowd of thousands of Hindu devotees.

The narrow bridge is about 500m long and had only recently been rebuilt following another stampede in 2006 in which over 60 people were killed and washed away at the same spot.

Indian Hindu festivals often attract thousands of people, sometimes tens of hundreds as in the case of the Kumbh Mela festival in Indian State Uttar Pradesh. It is a challenge for the authorities to build tents, erect makeshift bridges, and install sanitation facilities.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk India News

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