By Mubasshir Mushtaq
NEW DELHI
At least 32 Hindu devotees, most of them women and children, were killed on Friday evening in a stampede during Dussehra festival celebrations in the north Indian city of Patna.
Indian media reported that the stampede took place minutes after the effigy of the demon Hindu king Ravana was burnt in Patna’s Gandhi ground in Patna, the capital of Bihar state, which is 1000 km east of Delhi.
The Gandhi ground Dussehra event is the biggest event in the city and the stampede occurred on a narrow street outside the Gandhi ground as the devotees were exiting after performing the burning ritual.
At least 15 devotees were injured, and all of them were rushed to Patna Medical College Hospital.
According to state officials, many people fell and fainted as pandemonium broke out giving little time for the devotees to find out the cause of the commotion.
“People have dispersed from the spot now. A few dozen people could be injured. Senior officials are at the hospital including the Health Secretary and treatment is being given,” Amir Subhani, home secretary of Bihar state was quoted as saying by English-language news channel NDTV.
A probe has been ordered by the state government into the incident.
Dussehra is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrating the victory of Hindu lord Rama over the demon king Ravana, who had adducted Rama’s wife Sita.
Friday’s stampede is the fourth religious stampede in the past year which has collectively killed over 160 people.
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