Katra (J&K): Twelve persons were killed and 15 others injured in a stampede that occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra on Saturday morning. An official from the police control room in Reasi town said a stampede had occurred at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in which 12 people lost their lives and 15 others were injured.
“The condition of people who have been admitted are now stable. We may add some technical solutions for the yatra. Earlier people use to visit the shrine during festivals, nowadays youngsters want to visit shrine on first day of the year, “ Union Minister Jitendra Singh told reporters after visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital where people injured in the stampede were undergoing treatment.
Singh was accompanied by Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh during his visit to the hospital where he enquired about the condition of those undergoing treatment.
The stampede, according to J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh, occurred at 2:45 am when a 'minor altercation' broke out among some young boys which resulted in people pushing each other. There was a heavy rush of devotees at the shrine on New Year's Day.
"12 died in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and 1 from J&K. The injured were shifted to Naraina Hospital after the rescue," said Dr Gopal Dutt, Block Medical Officer, Community Health Centre, Reasi. The condition of some of the injured was stated to be serious.
"Police and officials from the civil administration were quick to respond, and the order within the crowd was immediately restored, but by that time, the damage had been done," he said. "Immediately the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals," the police chief said.
Now to ascertain the lapses, a three-member panel has been set up to probe the stampede. The Panel constituted by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and headed by the principal secretary (home) has been asked to submit its report to the Jammu and Kashmir government within a week.
A woman from Ghaziabad died in the stamped said Ghaziabad District Magistrate Rajesh Kumar. He also said that she was accompanied by her husband and another woman relative.
As per the information, a total of four people from Ghaziabad visited the shire, the deceased woman identified as Shweta Singh a resident of Ghaziabad's, sector-5 Vasundhara, her husband Vikrant Singh and another woman relative. The fourth person is told to be safe and fine.
As the family member received the information of the unfortunate incident, they immediately left for Vaishno-Devi. While the SHO Indrapuram police station said "All possible assistance will be provided to the family, however till now no one from police side has established a contact with the family.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which manages the operations at the shrine, confirmed that 12 pilgrims had lost their lives and 15 others were injured in the incident.
Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha has ordered a high-level inquiry into the stampede and briefed Home Minister Amit Shah about the incident.
President, Prime Minister, Home Minister, and other key political leaders offered condolences to the bereaved families and wished speedy recovery to the injured.
President Ram Nath Kovind said he was very distressed to know that about the unfortunate stampede. He offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.