At Least 12 Dead, 20 Injured After Stampede At Vaishno Devi At 2.45 am
Mumbai: At least 12 pilgrims have died and around 20 others injured after a stampede at Jammu and Kashmir’s Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at around 2.45 am on Saturday. J&K DGP Dilbag Singh said that the stampede occurred after an argument broke out and people started pushing each other.
Additional Director General of Police or ADGP Mukesh Singh confirmed that 12 pilgrims were killed and at least 14 injured in the stampede. “All the injured have been taken to the hospital,” he said.
The incident took place outside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple situated on the Trikuta hills. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede.
“Preliminary information from the scene suggests that a minor altercation among some young boys led to the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in which 12 people, unfortunately, died,” Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said.
“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 told Press Trust of India.
He further said that all those injured have been taken to hospitals, where the condition of some is stated to be “serious”.
The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir shared the helpline numbers of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Helpline nos:
01991-234804
01991-234053
Other Helpline nos:
PCR Katra 01991232010/ 9419145182
PCR Reasi 0199145076/ 9622856295
DC Office Reasi Control room
01991245763/ 9419839557
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Manoj Sinha spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and informed him about the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into today’s stampede. The inquiry committee will be headed by Principal Secretary (Home) with ADGP, Jammu and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu as members.
Hours after the unfortunate incident, the Bhawan authorities resumed the registration. Earlier, the yatra to the holy shrine was suspended for a short time.
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