24 killed, 50 injured in Varanasi stampede

Twenty four people were killed and 50 injured in a stampede at Rajghat bridge on the border of Varanasi and Chandauli where a large number of people had gathered for a religious event on Saturday.

The incident took place when thousands of followers of religious leader Jai Gurudev were on their way to Domri village on the banks of the Ganges  river to take part in the two-day camp, police said.

Nineteen people, including women were killed, CMO, Varanasi, V V Singh said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also the MP (Member of Parliament) from Varanasi, expressed anguish over the incident and asked senior officials to take stock of the situation. He also announced a solatium of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to next of kin of those killed and free treatment to the injured, who have been admitted to different hospitals in Varanasi and Chandauli, IG (law and order) Hariom Sharma said.

People in large numbers were brought for the camp by the organisers who had taken the permission only for  2,000-3,000 devotees. One person died due to suffocation on the bridge because of the surging crowd on the narrow Ganges bridge leading to rumours, which resulted in the stampede, Chaudhary said. Spokesman of Jai Gurudev Sansthan Raj Bahadur said the devotees were proceeding towards the camp, but police started sending them back though they kept on thronging the bridge. This led to rumours that the bridge ahead has collapsed leading to stampede, he said, alleging there was a serious lapse on the part of the administration.

Principal Secretary (Home) Devashish Panda, Home Secretary S K Raghuvanshi, DGP Javeed Ahmed have rushed to Varanasi to monitor the rescue work. Senior officials from the two districts are camping there.

Chaudhary said that additional force, including 20 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary, has been deployed in the area for the second day of the samagam tomorrow.