12 dead in stampede at Vaishno Devi

L-G orders inquiry; PM announces ex-gratia

NT Correspondent

Srinagar: 12 devotees were killed and at least 16 others were injured in a stampede on New Year’s eve at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu early Saturday morning.

Officials said that the tragedy happened early Saturday morning, amid the presence of a large number of devotees who had queued to have ‘darshan’ of sanctum sanctorum inside the cave shrine.

According to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which manages the shrine, around 2:15 am, a stampede happened near gate no. 3.

Soon after the incident, rescue and evacuation operations were immediately launched by the Shrine Board authorities, administration and police.

Dr. Rajeev Sharma, Chief Medical Officer, Reasi district told NewsTrail that 12 people died in the incident and 16 injured were shifted to the nearby hospital for treatment. “They are being treated,” he said.

After the incident, senior officials from the administration and police also reached the spot. JK Director General of Police, Dilbagh Singh said as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other, followed by the stampede.

JK’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who announced ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh to kind of deceased and Rs.2 lakh to injured, said a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

“A high-level inquiry has been ordered into today’s stampede. The Inquiry Committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members,” Sinha’s office tweeted. In another tweet, he said all the deceased have been identified. “10 dead bodies have been dispatched to their respective home towns & two others will be sent tomorrow morning,” said the LG.

Several devotees, however, blamed the Shrine Board for the mismanagement.

“If they can’t control the situation, why do they allow such a large number of devotees. I think it is their mismanagement that this tragedy has happened,” Prince, a devotee from Punjab, told reporters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan.”

“Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon,” he wrote on Twitter.