Six devotees killed in Bhavnath temple stampede in Gujarat

Rajkot : Six people were killed and 12 others injured in a stampede that broke out on Sunday night at Bhavnath temple’s annual Mahashivratri fair in the foothills of Mount Girnar in Gujarat’s Junagadh district.

According to police, the stampede occured following panic after the brakes of a four-wheeler at the fair venue apparently failed. The Bhavnath temple is about 150 km from here.

Tens of thousands of devotees had gathered at the popular fair which will conclude on the occasion of Mahashivratri festival tomorrow. Bhavnath is an important Shiva temple.

Six people are dead and 12 injured, police in Junagadh said. The dead comprised three women, two children and one man.

The injured, some of whom are reported to be critical, were being rushed to nearby hospitals.

Ambulance personnel said they were finding it difficult to take the injured because of traffic jams at the road leading to the temple.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi tonight ordered an inquiry into the stampede that took place at Junagadh.

Talking to PTI over the phone, Modi said, ‘Additional Chief Secretary V N Mayra will overlook the inquiry.’

The chief minister also announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs one lakh to the next of kith and kin of those six pilgrims killed in the stampede.

Modi, who also holds the Home portfolio, deputed IG (Rajkot) Pravin Sinha to oversee the rescue operation. PTI