At least 12 killed in stampede at religious shrine in IIOJK
Hindu devotees wait to enter a holy cave of the Hindu goddess Vaishno Devi, the goddess of power, during the Navratri festival in Trikuta hills about 58 km (36 miles) north of Jammu. Reuters/FILE
At least 12 pilgrims died and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede at a Hindu shrine in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on Saturday morning, police said.
“Twelve pilgrims died and 14 were injured in a stampede in the early morning today at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine,” said senior police officer Mukesh Singh.
All of the injured have been hospitalised, he said.
The stampede broke out when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan shrine, another official said.
“Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a condolence message.
The official said that a high-level inquiry has been ordered.