12 pilgrims die as New Yr rush sparks Vaishno Devi stampede

16 Injured Stable; ₹10L Ex Gratia For Dead Announced

- Sanjay Khajuria

Jammu: At least 12 pilgrims were crushed to death and 16 injured on New Year’s Day in the biggest-ever tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi temple as a crowd surge led to a stampede around 2.15am near gate No. 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the popular cave shrine in the Trikuta hills of J&K’s Reasi district.

The tragedy happened “due to a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims”, the shrine board said, but gave no more details. Officials said authorities responded quickly, order within the crowd was restored and the pilgrimage resumed after nearly four hours of the early morning tragedy.

Rescue teams evacuated the 16 injured to hospitals. Nine of them were later discharged, while the rest are undergoing treatment. Their condition is said to be stable.

Of the 12 dead, two are from Delhi, four from Uttar Pradesh, one each from Haryana and J&K. The identity of four others was not known till the filing of this report. LG Manoj Sinha has announced an immediate ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the dead and Rs 2 lakh to the injured, the shrine board said.

‘Several pilgrims fell, people walked over them to flee’