Temple stampede in UP - another stampede death after 2004 in UP

Sixty-three people, all women and children, were killed and another 64 injured in a massive stampede at an ashram at Mangarh in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.

The tragic incident took place when a portion of the entrance gate collapsed under pressure of the surging crowd that thronged the ashram belonging to Kripalu Maharaj to collect food and utensils. The dead included 37 children and 26 women. An official spokesman put the death toll at 61.

The function at the ashram, located 80 km from the district headquarters of Pratapgarh and about 200 km from here, was held to commemorate the death anniversary of Kripalu Maharaj's wife.

High-level probe

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.

The probe would be conducted by the Divisional Commissioner of Allahabad. He has been asked to submit his preliminary report within 24 hours after which the amount of compensation for the victims would be fixed.

Ms. Mayawati also sent PWD and Excise Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui and Panchayati Raj Minister Swami Prasad Maurya to Mangarh to supervise relief operations and treatment of people.

State Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh told reporters here that the mishap occurred around noon. The programme was to have begun at 2.30 p.m. but started earlier as the crowd entered the premises.

A portion of the entrance gate was opened, but the structure collapsed under the pressure mounted by the crowd.

The dead were either crushed under the debris of the gate or killed in the ensuing stampede.

The injured were shifted to hospitals in Pratapgarh and Allahabad, and 39 of them were discharged after first aid. Two were referred to the Swaroop Rani Nehru Medical College Hospital in Allahabad with serious injuries.

A team of doctors rushed to the site and ambulances from Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Allahabad were kept ready to take the injured to the hospital.

Thursday's temple stampede is not the first in Uttar Pradesh where the poor had to sacrifice their lives to get free lunch and clothes. It was a grim reminder of April 12, 2004 sari stampede in Lucknow when 21 poor Dalit women lost their lives at a function organised to mark birthday of BJP leader Lalji Tandon.

The lure of free saris saw scores of women walking miles to attend Tandon's birthday bash, but 21 returned in shrouds.

Over two thousand women were collected from slums located in Khadra, Daliganj and Sitapur road in the state capital to form the part of the audience. They were promised saris worth Rs 500 and a lunch at the birthday party hosted at Chandra Shekhar Azad Park. The function saw supporters showering praises on Tandon, but it took an ugly turn when women were asked to line up to receive free saris. The crowd broke ranks and charged towards the volunteers with saris.

Six years after, the women participants still shiver while recalling the incident. "All of a sudden everything was upside down within seconds," recalled Revati, one of the survivors, a resident of Khadra, who lost here sister-in-law in the incident.

The event was aimed to garner votes from the poor for ongoing Lok Sabha elections. It was organised by Brajendra Murari Yadav, then a listed gangster in police records. A case was filed against BJP leaders, including Tandon, but he got a clean chit later.