25th January 2005 150 die in religious stampede, Wai, India.

Thousands of Hindus panicked during a religious procession in western India, triggering a stampede that killed at least 150 people. Many more people were injured. The stampede occurred near the village of Wai, 150 miles south of Bombay. Local leader Sharad Jadhav said he had been told by officials at the scene that 150 people were killed. Accounts differed on exactly what had happened. Jadhav said the stampede was caused by overcrowding, but police said it was triggered by a fire. "A fire caused by a short circuit in a makeshift shop near the temple created panic among the pilgrims. Some tried to flee the area, starting the stampede," said KK Pathak, the inspector-general of police in the region. The situation grew worse when a narrow path leading to the temple became jammed with pilgrims. More than 300,000 people are reported to have gathered for the Hindu festival, said AD Ingle, deputy superintendent of police in the area. Hindus congregate every year at the hilltop temple of the Hindu goddess Mandra Devi on a full moon night. Stampedes are not uncommon at major Hindu religious festivals, which can attract millions of worshippers. Authorities are often unable to cope with the huge crowds.

Stampede and fire kill hundreds in India. Tue 25 Jan, 2005 14:45:07 GMT.

BOMBAY (Reuters) - As many as 300 Hindu pilgrims, including women and children, may have been crushed or burned to death in a stampede and fire near a temple in western India, the district's top official has said. A fire broke out in roadside stalls when more than 150,000 people were on an annual pilgrimage to the popular Mandher Devi temple, on a hilltop near Wai, about 162 miles southeast of Bombay, witnesses said. Scores were crushed to death on the steep and narrow hill path leading to the temple and many others were charred, they said. Reporters saw at least 100 bodies at the site. "We cannot confirm it, but it appears that 250 to 300 people are dead, "Subbarao Patil, district collector for Satara district where the temple is located, told a correspondent for Asia News International television on Tuesday. "This does not include the people who may have been charred to death in the shops that have been gutted nearby in the fire. "Dishevelled and mangled bodies were lined up and tin-roofed stalls were smouldering near the temple and the adjoining settlement, situated on a craggy hilltop about 4,000 feet (1,220metres) high, the ANI reporter said. "There more than a hundred dead bodies lying around and dozens of others have already been sent down to Wai by bus," she told Reuters by phone. "It is utter mayhem here. The sheds are still smouldering." WET STEPS. Witnesses said the stampede started around midday after pilgrims slipped on the temple's steep stone steps, which had become wet from coconuts broken as an offering to the local deity Kalubai. A fire then broke out in shops nearby and gas cylinders exploded, officials said. The 300-year-old temple is popular among lower caste Hindus who undertake the annual pilgrimage on a full-moon day in January and participate in a 24-hour-long festival that includes ritual animal sacrifices to the goddess. In 2003, more than 32 people died at a stampede in Nasik, another town in the western Maharashtra state, during the Kumbh Mela, or Grand Pitcher festival.

Death toll in Indian temple stampede may rise. Wed 26 Jan, 2005 5:46:00 GMT By Punit Paranjpe

WAI, India (Reuters) - Rescue workers have begun the task of searching through debris for anyone missing after a stampede and fire that killed as many as 300 people at a temple in western India. The official death toll was 257, although police said on Wednesday the number of dead may rise. Subrao Patil, the top district official, told Reuters 194 bodies had been identified, more than half of them women. Crowds of people on an annual pilgrimage to the temple continued to arrive on Wednesday from villages too remote to have heard news of the stampede. District officials tried to get the word out to stop devotees from hampering relief efforts, although the temple remained open. The stampede broke out on Tuesday as 300,000 people converged on the Mandher Devi temple, on a hill topnear Wai, about 260 km (160 miles) southeast of Bombay in the western state of Maharashtra. Witnesses said it started around midday after pilgrims slipped on the temple's steep stone steps, which were wet with coconut water spilled from fruit presented as offerings to the local goddess, Kalubai. Fire then swept through roadside stalls selling flowers, sweets and food, and officials said it may have been caused by a short circuit. "Our initial focus is on the relief work and only after the official enquiry is completed can we say with certainty what the exact sequence of events was," one police officer said. Scores were crushed to death on the steep and narrow hill path leading to the temple, and many bodies were charred. The remains of the tin-roofed food stalls still smouldered near the temple and adjoining settlement on a craggy hilltop about 4,000 ft (1,200metres) high. Dishevelled and mangled bodies lay in lines, many covered in the green saris that are traditionally offered to Kalubai. The chief minister of Maharashtra visited the site, announcing compensation of 100,000 Indian rupees for the dead and 10,000 rupees for the injured. An inquiry has been ordered. The 300-year-old Mandher Devi temple is popular among lower caste Hindus who undertake the pilgrimage every January on a full-moon day and participate in a 24-hour-long festival that includes ritual animal sacrifices to the goddess. In 2003, more than 32 people died at a stampede in Nasik, another town in Maharashtra, during the Kumbh Mela,or Grand Pitcher festival.

At least 250 die in Indian stampede Wed 26 Jan, 2005 12:25:10 GMT By Punit Paranjpe

WAI, India (Reuters) - Authorities have begun an investigation into the cause of a stampede and fire near a Hindu temple in western India that killed more than 250 people during an annual pilgrimage. Of the 258 who died, more than 200had been identified, said Subrao Patil, the top district official. More than half those who died were women and at least 14 children were also killed. "When I arrived here about an hour after the incident, people were in a panic. There was a lot of confusion and the injured and dead people were lying all about," Patil told Reuters on Wednesday. "We first had to control and clear the crowd, then gather the dead bodies and transport them to the hospitals. "A police official had earlier told Reuters the toll was 267, but later scaled back the number. Anxious relatives and pilgrims from villages too remote to have heard about the stampede arrived at the temple on Wednesday. District officials tried to get the word out to stop devotees from hampering relief efforts, although the temple remained open. The stampede broke out on Tuesday when about 300,000 people converged on the Mandher Devitemple, on a hilltop near Wai, 160miles southeast of Bombay in the western state of Maharashtra. Scores were crushed to death on then arrow path to the temple, and many bodies were charred. The remains of tin-roofed food stalls smouldered near the temple and adjoining settlement on the craggy hilltop about 1,200metres above sea-level. As they were cleared, many of the bodies were covered in the green saris traditionally offered to the goddess, Kalubai. Witnesses said the stampede started at around midday after pilgrims slipped on the temple's steep stone steps, which were wet with coconut water spilled from fruit presented as offerings. "My mother was just ahead of me, and she slipped on the steps, which were wet," one woman, who suffered minor injuries, told a TV news channel. "I also fell, and I saw that several people were also slipping and falling into the crowd. " THROWING STONES One pilgrim at the base of the hill at the time said word of people slipping and falling quickly passed through the crowd. "The police began clearing the place, so people got angry and started throwing stones at the shops," he said. Fire then swept through the roadside stalls selling flowers, sweets and food after cooking gas cylinders exploded, possibly sparked by an overhead power cable, officials said. "(The people slipping) appears to have triggered off some rioting by angry relatives who attacked the nearby food stalls and pulled out the gas connections, causing a big explosion and fire which in turn led to utter chaos," a police official told a Reuters photographer at the scene. The official inquiry would help determine the exact sequence of events, police said. The 300-year-old Mandher Devitemple is popular among lower caste Hindus who undertake the pilgrimage every January on a full-moon day and participate in a 24-hour-long festival that includes ritual animal sacrifices to the goddess. Devotees who were not allowed to reach the temple on Tuesday spent the night in the open, lighting small fires to keep warm. Many started making their way home on Wednesday. The Maharashtra governor cancelled celebrations for India's Republic Day on Wednesday that are usually marked with colourful parades and performances by school children. The chief minister of Maharashtra visited the temple, announcing compensation of 100,000 Indian rupees for the dead and a minimum10,000 rupees for the injured. In 2003, more than 30 people died in a stampede in Nasik, also in Maharashtra, during the Kumbh Mela, or Grand Pitcher festival.

Search begins for Indian stampede survivors Wed 26 Jan, 2005 10:22:10 GMT By Punit Paranjpe

WAI, India (Reuters) - Rescue workers have begun the task of searching through debris for anyone missing after a stampede and fire that killed as many as 300 people at a temple in western India. The official death toll was 257,although police said on Wednesday the number of dead may rise. Subrao Patil, the top district official, told Reuters 194 bodies had been identified, more than half of them women. Crowds of people on an annual pilgrimage to the temple continued to arrive on Wednesday from villages too remote to have heard news of the stampede. District officials tried to get the word out to stop devotees from hampering relief efforts, although the temple remained open. The stampede broke out on Tuesday as 300,000 people converged on the Mandher Devi temple, on a hill top near Wai, about 260 km (160 miles) southeast of Bombay in the western state of Maharashtra. Witnesses said it started around midday after pilgrims slipped on the temple's steep stone steps, which were wet with coconut water spilled from fruit presented as offerings to the local goddess, Kalubai. Fire then swept through roadside stalls selling flowers, sweets and food, and officials said it may have been caused by a short circuit." Our initial focus is on the relief work and only after the official enquiry is completed can we say with certainty what the exact sequence of events was," one police officer said. Scores were crushed to death on the steep and narrow hill path leading to the temple, and many bodies were charred. The remains of the tin-roofed ood stalls still smouldered near the temple and adjoining settlement on a craggy hilltop about 4,000 ft (1,200metres) high. Dishevelled and mangled bodies lay in lines, many covered in the green saris that are traditionally offered to Kalubai. The chief minister of Maharash travisited the site, announcing compensation of 100,000 Indian rupees for the dead and 10,000 rupees for the injured. An inquiry has been ordered. The 300-year-old Mandher Devitemple is popular among lower caste Hindus who undertake the pilgrimage every January on a full-moon day and participate in a 24-hour-long festival that includes ritual animal sacrifices to the goddess. In 2003, more than 32 people died at a stampede in Nasik, another town in Maharashtra, during the Kumbh Mela,or Grand Pitcher festival.

Scores killed in Indian stampede

25th Jan 2005

Up to 300 Hindu pilgrims are feared dead and hundreds injured during a stampede at a Hindu festival in India. The stampede happened during a pilgrimage to the remote Mandhar Devi temple in western Maharashtra state. Officials say thousands panicked during a religious procession after a fire broke out in roadside stalls. Many pilgrims were crushed and burned to death as the fire forced crowds into a narrow stairway leading to the hilltop temple. The stampede occurred near the village of Wai, more than 200km (125 miles) south of Mumbai (Bombay), where pilgrims congregate every year at the temple to venerate a Hindu goddess. There are more than 100 dead bodies lying around. This year more than 300,000 people had gathered, and the narrow path leading to the temple was jammed with worshippers, many of them women and children.

Crushed and charred

Accounts vary as to what caused the stampede. One local police inspector blamed a fire caused by an electrical short circuit in a makeshift shop. Other witnesses said pilgrims began burning and looting roadside stalls after they became frustrated at long delays in gaining entry to the temple site. The procession quickly became panicked and the narrow passage was jammed as crowds surged forward to avoid the flames. A local police chief, V N Deshmukh, put the death toll at more than 300 and said that more than 200 were taken by bus to local hospitals, the AFP news agency reported. District official Subarrao Patil told Reuters that 250 to 300 people died in the crush. "This does not include the people who may have been charred to death in the shops that have gutted nearby in the fire," he said. "People got suffocated in the crush. Bodies are still lying there," shopkeeper Sanjay Mistry, who was among the pilgrims, told AFP. "There was a lot of chaos and cries of 'many people are dead'," he added.

Difficult to police

Stampedes are not uncommon at Hindu religious festivals, which often attract millions of worshippers and are notoriously difficult to police. The event at Wai takes place every year during the night of a full moon. Pilgrims started arriving on Monday, ahead of the full moon on Tuesday night. At least 39 people died in August 2003 when devotees panicked on the banks of a holy river 175km north-east of Bombay. In 1999, 51 pilgrims died when a safety rope snapped at a Hindu shrine in southern India, and 50 were killed in 1986 in a stampede in the northern town of Haridwar. In 1954, some 800 are thought to have died in the northern city of Allahabad - the worst such incident recorded.

Over 300 killed in Indian stampede
Posted Tue, 25 Jan 2005

More than 300 Hindu pilgrims were trampled to death and 200 injured on Tuesday in a stampede at a religious festival in western India, police said. Additional Director General of Police V.N. Deshmukh said most of the dead were women and children who were jammed into a hill-top temple and narrow access road. "Over 300 were killed and four buses full of injured people have been sent to various local hospitals in the district of Satara," Deshmukh in Bombay told AFP. He warned the death and injury toll was expected to go up as the bodies of the dead and injured arrived at hospitals in Satara district, 300 kilometres south of Bombay, a correspondent reported. The police official said 300 000 to 400 000 people had gathered at the temple site for the sighting of the full moon on Tuesday night.

Unclear what caused stampede

Varying reasons were given for the cause of the midday stampede, which was the deadliest in years at a religious event in India where sometimes millions of people mass in perilous safety conditions. Deshmukh said the crush was triggered by a clash between pilgrims and a few shopkeepers that was followed by a gas cylinder blast which caused more panic. "The situation was aggravated by the fact there were thousands of pilgrims coming out of the temple and thousands trying to get into the temple," he said.

Electric cable blamed

Another witness said the stampede appeared to have been caused by an overhead electric cable that was believed to have fallen on some pilgrims. "Apparently an overhead electric cable hit some people and some people got caught in it. That created panic and people started running, some trampling on others," said Sanjay Mistry, a shopkeeper who was one of the pilgrims. "There was a lot of chaos and cries of 'many people are dead'.

"People got suffocated in the crush," Mistry said. "Bodies are still lying there." The tragedy occurred during the annual pilgrimage to the Mandhradevi temple near the town of Wai in Satara district. The hillside temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Mandhradevi, Jadhav said. Rioting, looting follows stampede

Police said chaos followed the stampede.

"Many started rioting and burning and looting makeshift shops along the route up to the temple," a police officer told AFP by telephone from Satara town, in the district of the same name where the temple is located. Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh was en route to the scene of the stampede. Last April, 21 women died in a stampede at a birthday rally for a regional political leader in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh state, when people surged forward for the handout of free saris. Two years ago, at least 39 died when pilgrims panicked on the banks of a sacred river northeast of Bombay. In January 1999, more than 50 people died in southern India during a stampede at a Hindu pilgrimage site at the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala while thousands watched what they believed to be a celestial light. In 1954, some 800 were reported to have been killed in the northern city of Allahabad.

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