ARUN KASHYAP | Haridwar
The stampede on the route to Mansa Devi temple on Sunday which killed six persons and injured 28 has raised various questions which are expected to be answered by the magisterial inquiry ordered by chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. There are conflicting reports about what actually led to the stampede with varying accounts of those present at the site during the mishap. The authorities have appealed to the public to not heed rumours.
It is pertinent to mention here that a large number of devotees are visiting the Mansa Devi temple these days. At the time of the incident, a large crowd of devotees was moving towards the temple. Haridwar district magistrate Mayur Dixit said that broken electricity wires have been found at the site of the stampede which make it appear as if these may have been broken as some people attempted to climb up through the crowded route. However, the actual cause of the incident will be ascertained by the magisterial inquiry.
This correspondent talked to some of the eyewitnesses who gave their accounts of the situation. Arun Kashyap from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh said, “There was a considerable number of devotees which left little room for movement. Some people started pushing due to which a woman caught hold of an electricity cable to maintain her balance. This spread panic among the crowd,” he averred. Bhupendra Kumar from Badaun in UP, who was injured in the incident said that some persons rushed down the stairs from near the temple which resulted in the stampede. He said that he was stuck in the situation for about half an hour and sustained injuries as a result.
Meanwhile, the deaths and injuries caused by the incident have spread a pall of gloom over many families. Bareilly resident Pankaj had come to the temple along with his 12-year-old son Arush. The boy fell down during the stampede and reportedly died on the spot as a result of the injuries. Those who died in the stampede also include three teenagers including Shakal Dev from Bihar, Vikki Saini from UP and Vipin Saini from Kashipur, all aged 18 years.
