At 13 injured and 12 died in a stampede which broke out at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra early Saturday morning.
The incident occurred around 2.45am, and as per initial reports, an argument broke out which resulted in people pushing each other. The stampede occurred near gate no three.
“According to witnesses Police was unnecessarily pushing people & hitting them which created chaos & then stampede” several media reported.
A minor altercation led to stampede situation at #VaishnoDevi shrine: #JammuAndKashmir DGP Dilbag Singh.
Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, in which at least 12 people were killed and 20 others injured.
Casualties are from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and 1 from J&K. Injured were taken to Naraina Hospital after rescue.
The police said that rescue operations started immediately and all the injured have been taken to hospitals, where condition of some is stated to be “serious”.
J&K DGP Dilbagh Singh said, “12 dead, 13 injured in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses grief over the deaths in stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir.
PM said “An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra, J&K. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000”.
J&K LG Manoj Sinha said “An ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of those who died in the stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra; Rs 2 lakh for the injured”.
Meanwhile, Vaishno Devi yatra has now resumed following a brief suspension after the stampede incident in Katra.
The registration process has began at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan in Katra.