2008 Jodhpur stampede

Infobox News event
name=Chamunda Devi stampede


caption=
date=30 September 2008
time= 05:30 ISTcite web | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/177_feared_dead_in_Jodhpur_temple_stampede/articleshow/3543100.cms | title=179 dead in temple stampede in Jodhpur | publisher=The Times of India | date=30 September, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30]
place=Jodhpur, Rajasthan
IND
notes=Stampede, crushed to death
casualties1=249 dead
casualties2=400+ injured
notes=Human stampede, many suffered from asphyxiationA human stampede occurred on September 30, 2008, at the Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, in which 249 people were killed [ [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ivolVd9fmZFAKooX_Nz340_YpbcQD93I8F900 ap.google.com, Death toll rises to 249 in Indian temple stampede] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7648104.stm India stampede death toll rises, "BBC News"] (October 2, 2008)] [ [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"] (October 3, 2008)] and more than 400 injuredcite web | url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gsaqyS0pMwuaWNz8CvtvTOypBe8w | title=At least 113 dead in India temple crush: official | publisher=AFP via Google News | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30] . The 15th-century temple is dedicated to the goddess Chamunda Devi [cite web | url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080067203 | title=Shrieks punctuate sombre atmosphere in Chamunda temple | publisher=NDTV | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30] and is located within the premises of Mehrangarh Fort. [cite web | url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/stampede-at-indian-temple-kills-at-least-89/1321449.aspx | title=Indian temple stampede death toll climbs | publisher=AFP via Canberra Times | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30]

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 Goddess worship and celebrated across the world. [cite web | url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gsaqyS0pMwuaWNz8CvtvTOypBe8w | title=At least 113 dead in India temple crush: official | publisher=AFP via Google News | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30]

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.cite web | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/177_feared_dead_in_Jodhpur_temple_stampede/articleshow/3543100.cms | title=179 dead in temple stampede in Jodhpur | publisher=The Times of India | date=30 September, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30]

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.cite web | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/103_killed_in_temple_stampede_near_Jodhpur/articleshow/3543100.cms | title=179 dead in temple stampede in Jodhpur | publisher=Times of India | date=30 September, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30] However, the "BBC News" reported that a collapsing wall may have also caused the stampede. [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7643373.stm | title=Scores die in India temple crush | publisher=BBC | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30] Some eyewitnesses told "CNN-IBN" that a rumor about a bomb being planted in the temple caused panic among pilgrims.cite web | url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/death-toll-rises-in-temple-stampede-147-dead/74652-3.html | title=Death toll rises in temple stampede, 147 dead | publisher=CNN-IBN | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30]

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.cite web | url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Dozens-Of-Hindu-Devotees-Killed-In-a-Temple-Stampede-In-Jaipr-India/Article/200809415109887?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15109887_Dozens_Of_Hindu_Devotees_Killed_In_a_Temple_Stampede_In_Jaipr%2C_India | title=Dozens Crushed In Deadly Stampede | author=Crawford, Alex | publisher=Sky News | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30] District collector Naresh Pal Gangwar said "There was a ramp and that collapsed, and people slipped causing chaos and suffocation."

Aftermath

Television footage showed frantic people trying to revive unconscious devotees by compressing their chests. The Divisional Commissioner for Jodhpur said that of those dead, 30 bodies were brought to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital and 10 were taken to Mathura Das Hospital. [cite web | url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=70e151cf-9c04-4daa-af1f-538a7eed5d3e&&Headline=Stampede+at+Chamunda+Devi+temple+kills+50 | title=At least 113 dead in India temple stampede: official | author=Sharma, Sangeeta | publisher=AFP via The Hindustan Times | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30] Later on, more than 400 injured devotees were admitted in seven hospitals across Jodhpur. [cite web | url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080067197 | title=List of hospitals where injured have been admitted | publisher=NDTV | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30] According to reports, there is a shortage of oxygen in local hospitals where the victims are being treated.

Indian Army doctors are being called to assist the local authorities in the relief operation. [cite web | url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hgMrrvvoVhKDUYpHtCBAbte6XaZw | title=89 dead in India temple stampede: official | publisher=AFP via Google News | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30] BJP's Rajnath Singh assured speedy relief to the victims of the tragedy. [cite web | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/BJPs_Rajnath_Singh_assures_speedy_relief_to_victims/articleshow/3544125.cms | title=BJP's Rajnath Singh assures speedy relief to victims | publisher=Times of India | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30]

Local authorities revealed that most of the dead were men as the queue for women was separate. [cite web | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4851062.ece | title=India temple stampede kills 177 | publisher=The Times | author=Blakely, Rhys | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-09-30]

Reactions

Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri and Governor B L Joshi both 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.cite web | url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200809301958.htm | title=Uttarakhand CM, Governor express grief over stampede | publisher=The Hindu | date=September 30, 2008 | accessdate=2008-10-01]

Criticism

Media reports said the authorities were ill-prepared, while claiming the crowd was "simply too much." They also said there was no medical help for the injured. One eyewitness was quoted as saying "There was a lot of crowd and a steep slope. Some people slipped and everyone else lost balance and [then] there was a stampede." Another said, "We carried them (the victims) ourselves, there was no other help, and vehicles couldn't come in."

ee also

*Chamunda Devi Temple stampede in the pictures [http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/specials/522_chamunda_px/page4.shtml]
*2008 Naina Devi temple stampede

References

External links

* [http://photogallery.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3543245.cms Picture gallery of the aftermath of stampede]
* [http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080067371&ch=10/1/2008%208:36:00%20PM NDTV: Bloggers vent ire over Jodhpur stampede]

*Dainik Bhaskar [http://digital.bhaskar.com/dainikrajasthan/epapermain.aspx?queryed=1&eddate=10/2/2008]

*Dainik Bhaskar [http://digital.bhaskar.com/dainikrajasthan/epapermain.aspx?queryed=11&username=Madhav%20Singh%20Parihar&useremailid=[e-mail]&parenteditioncode=11&eddate=10/1/2008]

*Dainik Bhaskar [http://digital.bhaskar.com/dainikrajasthan/epapermain.aspx?queryed=11&username=Madhav+Singh+Parihar&useremailid=parihar.mscs%40verizon.net&parenteditioncode=11&eddate=10%2f6%2f2008]