Woman Killed, Several Injured In Stampede During Temple Ceremony In Gwalior

The incident occurred before the start of Kalash Yatra, which was scheduled on the first day of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. The religious ceremony is expected to continue until February 20.

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Bhopal:

A woman died and more than a dozen women and girls were injured in a stampede on Tuesday morning ahead of the Kalash Yatra - part of the consecration ceremony -- of the Navgrah Temple in Dabra, Gwalior district. One of the injured is in critical condition, officials said.

The incident occurred before the start of Kalash Yatra, which was scheduled on the first day of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. The religious ceremony is expected to continue until February 20.

The temple was built through the efforts of former Home Minister Narottam Mishra. 

According to eyewitnesses, thousands of women from Dabra and nearby villages had gathered near a stadium for the Kalash Yatra. While the women were assembled in an open ground, the procession was to begin from inside the stadium premises. The main gate reportedly remained closed for a long time. When it was finally opened, a swelling crowd rushed to enter, leading to a stampede.
Several women fell to the ground and were trampled on as the crowd surged forward.

Volunteers, police personnel and organisers intervened and managed to control the situation within minutes. But by then, several women were lying unconscious or seriously injured.

All the injured were taken to the Dabra Civil Hospital. 

Rati Sahu, 65, a resident of Hanuman Colony, was declared dead by doctors. Another woman, Vimla Sahu, was reported to be in critical condition and was referred to Gwalior. She has been admitted to the Trauma Centre.

Another injured woman was shifted to a private hospital. Other injured persons are being treated at the Dabra Civil Hospital, officials said.

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Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan confirmed the death of one woman and said one injured person remains critical. 

She, along with Senior Superintendent of Police Dharmveer Singh and other senior officials, reached the spot soon after the incident and monitored medical and administrative arrangements.

Inspector General of Police Arvind Kumar Saxena also visited the hospital and reviewed the situation. He later told the media that the incident occurred within a few minutes, when the Kalash were brought to the venue in two tractor-trolleys, triggering sudden crowd movement that led to pushing and the stampede. "The situation was brought under control quickly," he said.

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The family of the dead woman brought her body from Dabra Hospital to the Kalash Yatra site and staged a protest, accusing the administration and the organizing committee of negligence. They alleged that the woman died due to lack of timely medical aid and oxygen.

DIG Amit Sanghi said a probe has been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of the stampede. 

The Navgrah Temple is being described by organisers as a unique temple where all nine planets are enshrined along with their consorts in separate shrines. Authorities said crowd management arrangements for the remaining days of the religious event are being reviewed to prevent any recurrence.

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