Masha Midhath   01 January 2022 - 04:56 PM
In a tragic development, around 12 people lost their lives and 20 others got hurt after a stampede occurred due to a heavy rush of devotees at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, said officials on Saturday.

“At least 12 people lost their lives and 13 are injured,” one senior government official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“The toll could be higher as the route to the hilltop shrine was packed with devotees trying to do the customary new-year visit and prayers,” he said.

The disaster happened at the Mata Vaishno Devi in Indian-administered Kashmir, one of the most revered Hindu shrines in northern India. The Mata Vaishno Devi is one of the most revered Hindu shrines in northern India, with tens of thousands visiting to offer prayers every day.

Following the incident, the bodies of 12 people, who have died in the stampede, have been taken to a hospital in the Katra base camp for identification and other formalities. Several of the injured people are undergoing treatment at Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, the officials said.

Reports cited witnesses as saying that the daily limit of 25,000 was exceeded and that large groups entered without permission slips. Other reports suggested an argument had broken out between devotees.