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Tag: Vaishno Devi shrine

  • Scuffle between 2 groups caused stampede, only 35K pilgrims were allowed due to Covid: Shrine board

    By PTI

    JAMMU: The Saturday stampede that killed 12 people occurred “due to a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims”, the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said in a statement, emphasising only 35,000 pilgrims were allowed to proceed for the yatra against the normal capacity of 50,000 in view of the pandemic.

    The board said Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of the Board, was informed about the stampede at 3 am and he has been continuously monitoring the situation since then.

    “National Green Tribunal has capped the normal capacity of Yatra per day to 50000.

    Pertinently, keeping in view the COVID-19 Pandemic, 35000 pilgrims were allowed to proceed for yatra on 31st December 2021 and for 1st Jan 2022,” SMVDSB said in a detailed statement on the tragic incident.

    It said around 2:15 am on January 1, the stampede happened near Gate No. three at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan.

    “”The unfortunate incident, due to a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims, resulted in the stampede. In this ill-fated incident, a total of 12 pilgrims lost their lives and 16 others were injured,” it said.

    The statement said the Board, as well as the Reasi District Administration, promptly shifted the injured pilgrims immediately to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Kakryal, after providing first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, for specialized treatment.

  • Vaishno Devi Stampede: Scuffle between 2 groups claimed as cause; probe panel to submit report within a week

    By Online Desk

    JAMMU: The Saturday’s stampede that killed 12 people and left 16 others injured occurred due to a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) said in a statement, emphasising only 35,000 pilgrims were allowed to proceed for the yatra against the normal capacity of 50,000 in view of the pandemic.

    National Green Tribunal has capped the normal capacity of Yatra per day to 50000.

    Pertinently, keeping in view the COVID-19 Pandemic, 35000 pilgrims were allowed to proceed for yatra on 31st December 2021 and for Jan 1, 2022, SMVDSB said in a detailed statement on the tragic incident.

    It said around 2:15 am on January 1, the stampede happened near Gate No. three at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan.

    “The unfortunate incident, due to a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims, resulted in the stampede. In this ill-fated incident, a total of 12 pilgrims lost their lives and 16 others were injured,” it said.

    Out of the 12 pilgrims who lost their lives, 7 were from Uttar Pradesh, 3 from Delhi, and 1 each from Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

    The police said most of the pilgrim died due to suffocation.

    The statement said the Board, as well as the Reasi District Administration, promptly shifted the injured pilgrims immediately to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Kakryal, after providing first aid at Medical Unit Bhawan, for specialized treatment.

    A three-member panel has been constituted to probe the stampede. The committee, constituted by the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, is headed by the principal secretary (home) and comprises Jammu Divisional Commissioner Raghav Langer and Additional Director General of Police, Jammu, Mukesh Singh.

    The committee will examine in detail the causes or reasons behind the stampede, point out the lapses and fix them thereafter, and suggest measures to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future. The panel has been asked to submit its report within a week.

    (With PTI inputs.)

  • Stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine: Union Minister Jitendra Singh rushes to Katra to take stock of situation

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Union Minister Jitendra Singh has rushed to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir to take stock of the situation after a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine killed at least 12 people and injured 20 others.

    Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), is Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur constituency.

    ALSO READ: 12 dead, 20 injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir

    “I’m immediately rushing to #Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata #VaishnoDevi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Hon’ble PM Sh @NarendraModi,” he tweeted on Saturday.

    At least 12 people were killed and 20 others injured in a stampede at the famous shrine, triggered by a heavy rush of devotees, officials said Saturday.

    The stampede occurred near gate number three outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine atop Trikuta hills.

    ALSO READ: PM Narendra Modi monitoring situation at Jammu’s Mata Vaishno Devi

    In another tweet, Singh said the prime minister is personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of stampede at the shrine.

    “PM has conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid & assistance to the injured,” the minister tweeted.

  • J-K: Sharad Navratri at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine begins amid tight security

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Devotees thronged the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district as Sharad Navratri commenced amid tight security on Thursday, officials said.

    A ‘Shobha Yatra’ was taken out in Katra town, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi, to mark the first day of Navratri.

    During the nine-day-long festival, hundreds of pilgrims from across the country are expected to pay obeisance at the shrine amid Covid protocols, the officials said.

    Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the local administration for the devotees.

    “Shat Chandi Mahayagya”, organised by the Board at the shrine, commenced on Thursday on the first day of Navratri amid chanting of Vedic mantras, the officials said.

    K K Sharma, member Shrine Board and Ramesh Kumar, CEO of the Board, and a large number of pilgrims were present on the occasion, they added.