Stampede at Hindu temple in India kills 10, injures dozens

USPA News - Ten people were killed Monday and more than 60 others were injured, two of them critically so, in a stampede at a Hindu temple in central India where thousands had gathered to celebrate a festival marking the new moon, district officials said. The incident happened at about 6 a.m. local time when large crowds of devotees were carrying out parikrama at the Kamtanath Pahad temple in the town of Chitrakoot, which is located in Madhya Pradesh near the state border with Uttar Pradesh.

It is believed an electrical spark triggered the sudden stampede, causing people to flee. District officials said 10 people were killed in the stampede, including six women, while more than 60 others were injured. Two of those injured were in a critical condition. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee said he was saddened by the loss of life in Monday`s accident and conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased. "I am extremely saddened to learn about the stampede at Kamtanath Pahad Temple in Madhya Pradesh, in which a number of devotees, including women, lost their lives and many others were injured," he said. Mukherjee called on state and local authorities to provide all possible aid to the families of the victims and to those who require medical assistance themselves. The local government announced compensation for the injured and the relatives of those killed. "I wish speedy recovery to the injured persons," the president added. The stampede took place on the occasion of Somvati Amavasya. The festival marks the occasion of the new moon, which has a significant meaning for Hindus. Hindu festivals are notorious for deadly stampedes. In the last decade alone, more than 1,100 people have died as a result of stampedes at religious ceremonies in India. In October 2013, 115 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured when a stampede occurred on a bridge near the Ratangarh Mata Temple in Madhya Pradesh state.