​10 pilgrims killed in temple stampede in Madhya Pradesh, judicial probe ordered

BHOPAL: Ten people have been killed and dozens more injured in a stampede at a temple in Chitrakoot area — which falls in the northern Vindhya range of mountains spread over the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

State chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered a judicial probe into the accident.

Rope barriers set up to contain thousands of Hindu pilgrims during parikrama of Kamadgiri hill gave way on Monday morning, resulting in a stampede in which six women were killed and 30 injured, said police in Satna district.

They said the accident occurred early morning during the " Parikrama (circumambulation) of the hill on the occasion of Somavati Amavasya — is no moon day that falls on a Monday (Somvar) in traditional Hindu calendar.

"We got the information at 5.30am. Teams were dispatched immediately," said Pawan Srivastava, inspector general (IG) Rewa range.

The stampede occurred during 'Shayana Pradakshinam' which is done in a lying posture, an officer told TOI.

"In this pose, the devotees circumambulate on the pradakshina path. The relatives and friends of the devotees help them to roll around. Some of the pilgrims who were walking fell on the ground during the circumambulation and this triggered a panic," IG added.

Kamadgiri hill is a place believed to have been the abode of Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman during their exile. Lord Kamtanath, another of his names, is the Ishta Deva principal deity not only of Kamadgiri Parvat but of the whole of Chitrakoot.

Hundreds of pilgrims were present at the pilgrimage path around this hill which is about 5km long. There are a large number of temples in the Parikrama Path (pathway). One of the major temples here is the Shree Kamatanath Temple.

The stampede took place near Bharat Milap Temple which is located on the back side of the hill, said police.

READ ALSO: 115 killed, over 100 injured in Madhya Pradesh temple stampede

As per the mythology, this temple marks the spot where Bharat, the brother of Rama, is said to have tried to convince Rama to return to Ayodhya, to be the king.

Earlier, 115 pilgrims were killed and more than 100 injured in a stampede near a temple at Ratangarh in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district on October 13, 2013.

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