27 Killed In Stampede At Pushkaralu Festival In Andhra Pradesh
14 July, Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh)
Twenty-seven people including 21 women and one child were killed in a stampede that occurred at one of the Pushkar ghats in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh Tuesday , at the beginning of River Godavari’s 12-day Maha Pushkarams.
More than 60 were injured in the incident. Most of the victims belong to Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and the twin Godavari districts.
The incident occurred when an unanticipated large number of pilgrims who arrived by trains and other modes of transport when tried to barge in to a relatively smaller ghat created chaos, in which victims could not be reached for assistance in time.
Ambulances even though stationed near the ghat failed to reach the spot due to heavy influx of pilgrims on the pathways leading to the ghat.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressing his profound sorrow over the death of the pilgrims announced an ex gratia of Rs. 10 lakhs to each of the bereaved families. He said even though the government has made all-out elaborate arrangements with necessary precautionary measures put in place the unprecedented could not be avoided.
Naidu said that he will stay put in Rajahmundry till the Pushkarams are over and an inquiry would be initiated into the incident.
The Chief Minister appealed to the pilgrims to make use of the other ghats for performing rituals where the crowd surge was less intense.
The State government has further intensified its campaign on several other ghats available around Rajahmundry creating awareness among the visitors at bus complexes and railway stations.
Meanwhile, Telangana government has put the administration on alert and asked all personnel on the duty of Godavari Pushkaralu to remain cautious.
Chief Minister Chandrasekhara Rao has reviewed the situation in Hyderabad with respect to all five districts that are having Godavari Pushkaralu and asked officials not to leave any stone unturned in ensuring smooth and safe Pushkaralu event.
He asked state Home Minister Nayani Narsimha Reddy to monitor safety measures at Kaleswaram in Karimnagar and DGP Anurag Sharma at Bhadrachalam as the number of devotees is expected to be high at these places.
He also asked the Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma to keep a helicopter ready at Bhadrachalam to meet any exigency. He stressed the need to ensure safe passage of devotees.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh State Officials in Hyderabad informed that out of 61 injured in the Rajahmundry stampede, the condition of two injured is critical.