The Hindu : National : 6 killed in Puri temple stampede

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 05, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

6 killed in Puri temple stampede

Special Correspondent

PURI: At least six devotees, including three women, were killed and 10 injured in a stampede during car festival, the annual sojourn of the three deities of Lord Jagannath Temple, here on Friday.

The accident took place while huge idols of Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Devi Subhadra were being taken out of the main temple to their chariots in the morning.

Devotees who were present near the innermost cordon of chariots tried to get closer to the idols resulting in a mad rush. Most of the victims were believed to have died due to suffocation.

Puri Superintendent of Police Asit Panigrahi told journalists that six persons died before they could be rushed to hospital.

Ten persons were taken to a hospital where the condition of two deteriorated. They were shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack, he said. The identity of the two could not be established. They were sisters aged over 45.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who was here to witness the festival, announced a probe into the stampede by a Revenue official. He also announced ex gratia of Rs.1 lakh each for the family of deceased.

It was alleged that the administration had created a large space around the chariots for VIPs leaving the narrow lanes for thousands of devotees to pass through near the main temple.

The tragedy did not affect the proceedings at the temple witnessed by more than eight lakh devotees from all over the country and abroad.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National