At least 12 people were killed and 13 others injured when a crowd of worshipers was trampled inside a Hindu shrine in the Indian suburb of Kashmir on Saturday, a local official said.
“At least 12 people lost their lives and (s.s. others) 13 were injured (…). “The toll could get even heavier, as the road leading to the shrine, at the top of a hill, was crowded with worshipers trying to get there to perform traditional New Year prayers,” the official told AFP.
Mata Vaisno Devi is one of the busiest Hindu places of worship in India. Every day tens of thousands of believers visit it to pray.
An official of the disaster management services confirmed the report and clarified that the trampling took place around 02:45 (local time; yesterday Friday at 23:15 Greek time).
“The government has called for an investigation into the Sri Mata trampling incident in Vaisno Devi,” he added.
India’s federal prime minister, Narendra Modi, tweeted that he was “deeply saddened by the loss of human life” at the shrine, saying he was in contact with local authorities in Kashmir.
He also expressed his “condolences to the bereaved families” and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
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