BOMBAY, 26 January 2005 — More than 300 Hindu devotees, mostly children and women, were yesterday trampled to death and over 1,000 injured in a stampede triggered by short circuit at a hilltop temple during an annual pilgrimage in Wai in western Maharashtra state’s Satara district.
The incident occurred at around 1 p.m. when an estimated 300,000 devotees in a procession gathered at the temple on the occasion of full moon.
By last night, state transport buses had brought over 200 bodies to various hospitals in Satara. Most of the deaths occurred due to suffocation after being trampled over.
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Ajit Pawar said that more than 300 were killed and the toll could go up.
Additional Director General of Police V.N. Deshmukh said a majority of the victims were women and children.
The injured have been admitted to hospitals in Satara.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil have rushed to Satara.
Speaking to reporters at Mantralaya in Bombay, Deshmukh said, “We’ve received information of some deaths, but do not know the exact figure.”
The state government, which has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the tragic incident, also announced 100,000 Indian rupees as compensation to the nearest relative of the dead.
