At least 115 killed in India stampede
- 9 years ago
Originally published on October 14, 2013
A stampede on a bridge in central India killed at least 115 people gathered for religious festival and injured more than 100 others, according to local police.
The stampede occurred as thousands of pilgrims gathered to celebrate the holy festival of Dussehra at the Ratangarh temple in a forest outside the town of Datia, Madhya Pradesh.
Officials said the stampede may have been sparked by a rumor that the bridge was about to collapse spread by a group of pilgrims hoping to jump the long line of people waiting to cross. Others said that they had heard that the bridge had been hit by a tractor and was unstable.
Local media said the police used batons to control the crowd, prompting many people to panic. A team of 20 doctors has been sent to help, the media said.
One survivor, Atul Chaudhary, told the BBC's Hindi service that he heard screams, and then crowds began pushing their way off the bridge.
"Several people could be seen flattened to the ground in the midst of the melee," he said. "Some of the youngsters panicked and jumped into the swollen river. I and my friends were close to the exit point, and along with several others ran for safety."
Emergency crews and specialist divers have been scouring the river for bodies but paused the search at nightfall on Sunday.
Local official Sanket Bhondve said the immediate priority was to provide relief to the injured.
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A stampede on a bridge in central India killed at least 115 people gathered for religious festival and injured more than 100 others, according to local police.
The stampede occurred as thousands of pilgrims gathered to celebrate the holy festival of Dussehra at the Ratangarh temple in a forest outside the town of Datia, Madhya Pradesh.
Officials said the stampede may have been sparked by a rumor that the bridge was about to collapse spread by a group of pilgrims hoping to jump the long line of people waiting to cross. Others said that they had heard that the bridge had been hit by a tractor and was unstable.
Local media said the police used batons to control the crowd, prompting many people to panic. A team of 20 doctors has been sent to help, the media said.
One survivor, Atul Chaudhary, told the BBC's Hindi service that he heard screams, and then crowds began pushing their way off the bridge.
"Several people could be seen flattened to the ground in the midst of the melee," he said. "Some of the youngsters panicked and jumped into the swollen river. I and my friends were close to the exit point, and along with several others ran for safety."
Emergency crews and specialist divers have been scouring the river for bodies but paused the search at nightfall on Sunday.
Local official Sanket Bhondve said the immediate priority was to provide relief to the injured.
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TomoNews is your daily source for top animated news. We've combined animation and video footage with a snarky personality to bring you the biggest and best stories from around the world. Check out our official website: http://us.tomonews.net/
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Subscribe to stay updated on all the top stories:
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