2 Dead, Several Injured In Stampede At Religious Event In Madhya Pradesh

Two women were killed and nearly a dozen others hospitalised after a stampede at the overcrowded Kubereshwar Dham in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore on Tuesday, just a day ahead of the much-publicised Kanwar Yatra led by storyteller Pradeep Mishra.

The tragedy unfolded as a sea of devotees surged through Kubereshwar Dham, overwhelming the arrangements and triggering chaos at multiple spots.

The stampede occurred when a massive crowd gathered outside a puja material shop, causing several women to fall. In the ensuing crush, two were fatally injured, while others lay sprawled in distress suffocated, dizzy, and unconscious.

Witnesses described scenes of absolute disorder, with elderly devotees collapsing under the pressure and volunteers scrambling to pull bodies from the crowd. The situation was so dire that it reportedly took over 90 minutes to ferry the injured to the district trauma center.

The incident has once again raised serious questions about crowd management and administrative preparedness, especially as the event was a planned religious gathering with an expected massive footfall. 

Despite claims by the administration and organisers that they had made arrangements for the stay of over 4,000 pilgrims and full-scale prasad distribution across key locations, the system collapsed under pressure a day ahead of the Kanwar Yatra.

Meanwhile, traffic on the Indore-Bhopal highway remains paralysed, with devotees stranded and ambulances struggling to move through the jam.

Sehore MLA Sudesh Rai, while expressing grief, attempted to defend the authorities. "It's unfortunate. I've informed the Chief Minister. The administration made full arrangements, but the crowd unexpectedly increased. I will go to the spot and assess what went wrong," he said.

However, critics are already pointing fingers. The police had announced diversion and parking plans to manage the Kanwar Yatra, set to begin at midnight of August 5, but those measures had not been implemented at the time of the incident.

Several devotees fell ill due to the scorching heat, humidity, and discomfort. They are currently being treated at the hospital. 

Upon receiving information, the IG Bhopal, SP, and Collector rushed to the spot to assess the situation. 

The situation is now under control, but despite being a day ahead of the main Kanwar Yatra, the influx of devotees has not slowed down. 

The premises are visibly overcrowded, with people setting up camps wherever they can find space. The intense humidity and heat are adding to the devotees' woes. Adequate arrangements have not been made for the pilgrims. 

There's a queue of nearly one kilometer outside the community kitchen for food, and the entire area is filled with Kanwar-bearing devotees.