Date | 30 September 2008 |
---|---|
Time | 05:30 IST [1] |
Location | Jodhpur, Rajasthan India |
Casualties | |
224 dead | |
425+ injured | |
Human stampede, many suffered from asphyxiation as they were crushed to death [2] |
A human stampede occurred on 30 September 2008, at the Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, in which 224 people were killed [3] [4] [5] and more than 425 injured. [6] [7] The 15th-century temple is dedicated to the goddess Chamunda Devi [8] and is located within the premises of Mehrangarh Fort. [9]
About 25,000 Hindu pilgrims were visiting the temple to mark the first day of the nine-day-long Navratri, a major festival in Hinduism dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. [6]
The devotees scrambled towards the door the moment it opened, resulting in the destruction of the barricades. Many people were injured when they lost their footing on the slope approaching the temple. [1]
According to The Times of India , local reports suggest that a bomb blast in nearby Mehrangarh created panic among the pilgrims resulting in the stampede. [10] However, the BBC News reported that a collapsing wall may have also caused the stampede. [11] Some eyewitnesses told CNN-IBN that a rumour about a bomb being planted in the temple caused panic among pilgrims. [12]
Others said there was a scramble in the men's queue; some devotees slipped and soon there was a massive resultant stampede where a day of celebration turned into one of mourning. [13]
An eyewitness also said that the path leading to the temple was very narrow with no emergency exit routes. [2]
Indian Army doctors were called to assist the local authorities in the relief operation. [14] Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajnath Singh assured speedy relief to the victims of the tragedy. [15] Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje visited the site and ordered inquiry into the incident. [16]
Local authorities revealed that most of the dead were men as the queue for women was separate. [17]
Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri and Governor B L Joshi both expressed grief over the death of the pilgrims at the Chamunda Devi temple.
A Raj Bhavan statement issued a condolence message saying Joshi conveyed his deepest sorrow to the bereaved families of the dead and said he would pray for the speedy recovery of those injured in the incident.
Khanduri followed too in expressing grief over the accident. He also directed District Magistrates of all the 13 districts of his state to make special arrangements at religious places as they are expected to attract large crowds during the Navratra period. [13]
Chamunda also known as Chamundeshwari, Chamundi or Charchika is a fearsome form of Chandi, the Hindu Divine Mother Parvati and is one of the seven Matrikas.
Dewas is a city in the Malwa region of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The municipality was formerly the seat of two princely states during the British Raj, Dewas Junior state and Dewas Senior state, ruled by the Puar clan of Maratha. The city is the administrative capital of Dewas district. Dewas is an industrialised city and houses a government bank note press
Jodhpur is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the Kingdom of Marwar, which is now part of Rajasthan. Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination, featuring many palaces, forts, and temples, set in the stark landscape of the Thar Desert. It is popularly known as the "Blue City" among people of Rajasthan and all over India. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Jodhpur district and Jodhpur division.
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