By IANS
Ranchi : At least five women pilgrims were crushed to death and 11 seriously injured Monday in a stampede at the Baba Baidyanath temple in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district.
According to police, at least 300,000 people were in a serpentine queue, many waiting since overnight, and trying to get inside the temple when the stampede occurred. The injured were admitted to a hospital in Deoghar.
One of the victims has been identified as Shanti Devi, a resident of Gorakhpur district in Uttar Pradesh.
According to eyewitnesses, one woman slipped on the temple stairs that led to other women also falling on the steps, resulting in a stampede.
Chief Minister Madhu Koda expressed sorrow over the incident and said: “We will ensure that prayers are conducted in a peaceful manner and security is provided to pilgrims.”