2008 Jodhpur stampede explained

Chamunda Devi stampede
Date:30 September 2008
Time:05:30 IST[1]
Place:Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Casualties1:224 dead
Casualties2:425+ injured
Notes:Human stampede, many suffered from asphyxiation as they were crushed to death

A human stampede occurred on 30 September 2008, at the Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, in which 224 people were killed[2] [3] [4] and more than 425 injured.[5] [6] The 15th-century temple is dedicated to the goddess Chamunda Devi[7] and is located within the premises of Mehrangarh Fort.[8]

About 25,000 Hindu pilgrims were visiting the temple to mark the first day of the nine-day-long Navratri, a major festival in Hinduism dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga.[5]

Cause

The devotees scrambled towards the door the moment it opened, resulting in the destruction of the barricades. Many people were injured when they lost their footing on the slope approaching the temple.[1]

According to The Times of India, local reports suggest that a bomb blast in nearby Mehrangarh created panic among the pilgrims resulting in the stampede.[9] However, the BBC News reported that a collapsing wall may have also caused the stampede.[10] Some eyewitnesses told CNN-IBN that a rumour about a bomb being planted in the temple caused panic among pilgrims.[11]

Others said there was a scramble in the men's queue; some devotees slipped and soon there was a massive resultant stampede where a day of celebration turned into one of mourning.

An eyewitness also said that the path leading to the temple was very narrow with no emergency exit routes.[12]

Aftermath

Indian Army doctors were called to assist the local authorities in the relief operation.[13] Bharatiya Janata Party's Rajnath Singh assured speedy relief to the victims of the tragedy.[14] Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje visited the site and ordered inquiry into the incident.[15]

Local authorities revealed that most of the dead were men as the queue for women was separate.[16]

Reactions

Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri, Akhilesh Yadav and Governor B L Joshi expressed grief over the death of the pilgrims at the Chamunda Devi temple. A Raj Bhavan statement issued a condolence message saying Joshi conveyed his deepest sorrow to the bereaved families of the dead and said he would pray for the speedy recovery of those injured in the incident. Khanduri followed too in expressing grief over the accident. He also directed District Magistrates of all the 13 districts of his state to make special arrangements at religious places as they are expected to attract large crowds during the Navratra period.[17]

Jodhpur Muslims decided to keep the Eid celebrations next day a low-key affair. Local Muslim youth joined rescue teams, ferried victims to hospitals and donated blood.[18] [19]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 179 dead in temple stampede in Jodhpur . https://web.archive.org/web/20121021204745/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-10-01/india/27949942_1_temple-stampede-chamunda-devi-temple-mahatma-gandhi-hospital . dead . 21 October 2012 . 30 September 2008 . 2008-09-30 . Anindo . Dey . Ajay . . Parmar.
  2. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ivolVd9fmZFAKooX_Nz340_YpbcQD93I8F900 ap.google.com, Death toll rises to 249 in Indian temple stampede
  3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7648104.stm India stampede death toll rises, BBC News
  4. http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=117d1d90-c1bd-4e46-9444-44eb21caca68&&Headline=Temple+stampede+toll+rises+to+224 Death toll in Jodhpur temple stampede rises to 224, Hindustan Times
  5. Web site: At least 113 dead in India temple crush: official. Sydney Morning Herald. 30 September 2008. 2008-09-30.
  6. Web site: Emily Wax (The Washington Post) . Death toll rises to 168 in Indian stampede. The Boston Globe. 6 July 2014. New Delhi, India. 1 October 2008.
  7. Web site: Shrieks punctuate sombre atmosphere in Chamunda temple . NDTV . 30 September 2008 . 2008-09-30.
  8. Web site: Indian temple stampede death toll climbs . AFP via Canberra Times. 30 September 2008 . 2008-09-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20081003115127/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/stampede-at-indian-temple-kills-at-least-89/1321449.aspx. 3 October 2008 . dead.
  9. News: 179 dead in temple stampede in Jodhpur . https://web.archive.org/web/20121021204745/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-10-01/india/27949942_1_temple-stampede-chamunda-devi-temple-mahatma-gandhi-hospital . dead . 21 October 2012 . 30 September 2008 . 2008-09-30 . Anindo . Dey . Ajay . . Parmar.
  10. News: Scores die in India temple crush . BBC . 30 September 2008 . 2008-09-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20080930070341/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7643373.stm. 30 September 2008 . live.
  11. Web site: Death toll rises in temple stampede, 147 dead . CNN-IBN . 30 September 2008 . 2008-09-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20081002021407/http://www.ibnlive.com/news/death-toll-rises-in-temple-stampede-147-dead/74652-3.html. 2 October 2008 . live.
  12. Web site: Dozens Crushed in Deadly Stampede . Crawford, Alex . Sky News . 30 September 2008 . 2008-09-30.
  13. Web site: 89 dead in India temple stampede: official . AFP via Google News . 30 September 2008 . 2008-09-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081004011601/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hgMrrvvoVhKDUYpHtCBAbte6XaZw . 4 October 2008 . dead.
  14. News: BJP's Rajnath Singh assures speedy relief to victims . https://web.archive.org/web/20121021204754/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-09-30/india/27921645_1_speedy-recovery-relief-work-victims . dead . 21 October 2012 . 30 September 2008 . . 2008-09-30.
  15. Web site: 147 killed, 55 injured in Jodhpur temple stampede. The Indian Express. 30 September 2008. Agencies. Jodhpur. 4 March 2021.
  16. News: India temple stampede kills 177 . . Blakely, Rhys . 30 September 2008 . 2008-09-30 . London.
  17. News: Uttarakhand CM, Governor express grief over stampede . The Hindu. 30 September 2008 . 2008-10-01 . Chennai, India. https://web.archive.org/web/20081003141515/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200809301958.htm. 3 October 2008 . live.
  18. Web site: 2008-10-01. Muslims decide to keep Id low-key affair. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201228114454/https://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081002/nation.htm#4. 2020-12-28. 2021-05-02. The Tribune.
  19. Web site: 2008-10-02. Jodhpur Muslims help temple stampede victims. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210502025248/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/jodhpur-muslims-help-temple-stampede-victims/story-egO03PUypJk1WDQrBEbRQO.html. 2021-05-02. 2021-05-02. Hindustan Times. en.

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