At least 91 feared killed in Madhya Pradesh temple stampede

The Ratangarh Mata Temple in Datia district witnessed a stampede on Sunday morning in which 91 people have died, when this report was filed. Most of the deceased were women and children the tragedy took place at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday morning, Dilip Arya, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Chambal Range), told The Hindu.

By 6 p.m. all the bodies were sent to the district headquarters hospital for post-mortem. Sixty injured persons were admitted to four hospitals in Datia and Gwalior. The deceased include 42 women and 31 children.

Chief Secretary Anthony JC De Sa said that the stampede was triggered by a rumour. “There is a bridge about 1.5 kilometres from the temple. At the time of the incident, roughly 25,000 people were on it. This is a bridge that was built less than four years ago and is in good condition. A section of the railing broke that led to a rumour in the crowd that the bridge was collapsing. This led to the stampede,” he told The Hindu.

The bridge over river Sindh is 400 metres long and less than 7 metres wide.

Mr. De Sa did not confirm whether the railing broke due to a traffic collision involving a tractor trolley earlier in the day, as was reported.

He explained that 60 police officers led by Deputy Superintendent B.N. Basave were handling security at the temple which draws huge crowds during Navaratri and Bhai Dooj. “We estimate the total crowd during the incident at 50 to 60 thousand. In the course of the day, a lakh of people visit the temple.”

Mr. Basave and other officers were injured in the stone pelting by kin of the victims who were angry about the delay in the rescue operations. A judicial enquiry has been ordered by Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan. The government has also declared a compensation of Rs. 1.5 lakhs for families of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 for those seriously injured, the chief secretary added.

DIG Arya denied reports that the stampede was aggravated due to caning by police to control the crowd. “No lathi charge has taken place. Also, the deaths are due to stampede and not drowning, as the media has reported... We are trying to find out who spread the rumours (of the bridge collapsing) but rescue is the first priority,” he told The Hindu earlier in the day.

Rescue operations were hampered by a traffic jam stretching more than 7 km on the single approach road to the temple, and help came in full strength only in the afternoon. Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) D. Sreenivasa Rao said that three companies of the special armed force were pressed into rescue operations. The Datia Police Control Room will also offer the services of a helpline (07522 237884). Mr. De Sa, Director General of Police Nandan Dube and Health Minister Narottam Mishra also reached the spot via helicopter from Bhopal.

In 2006, 57 pilgrims were washed away by floods at the same spot when the gates of the Manikheda dam were opened. The opposition Congress and the CPI(M) have demanded the resignation of the Mr. Chouhan and Mr. Narottam Mishra who is an MLA from the district.