12 dead in crowd surge at popular Hindu shrine in Kashmir

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Health workers carry the coffin of a victim, who died in a stampede at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine, at a hospital in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A stampede at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 13 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Health workers carry the coffin of a victim, who died in a stampede at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine, at a hospital in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A stampede at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 13 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Hindu devotees line up to trek towards the holy cave of Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine following a fatal crowd surge, in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A crowd surge at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 15 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)“Something happened near one of the gates and I found myself under a crush of people. I suffocated and fell but somehow managed to stand up,” said Mahesh, who gave only one name.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Hindu devotees arrive as some, on left, line up to start their trek towards the holy cave of Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine following a fatal crowd surge, in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A crowd surge at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 15 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)“I saw people moving over the bodies. It was a horrifying sight, but I managed to help in rescuing some injured people,” he said.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports India Kashmir Fatal Crowd SurgePress Trust of India news agency quoted police chief Dilbag Singh as saying that authorities were quick to respond and the order within the crowd was immediately restored.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports A government official talks on his mobile phone from a community health centre in Katra, near Jammu, India, Jan.1, 2022. A stampede at a popular religious Hindu shrine has killed at least 12 people and injured 12 others on New Year’s Day in Indian-controlled Kashmir early Saturday, officials said. Authorities were investigating what caused the stampede at Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine where tens of thousands of Hindu devotees assemble daily to pay their obeisance in hilly Katra town near southern Jammu city. (AP Photograph/Channi Anand)The pilgrimage resumed after nearly four hours, officials said. An investigation was underway.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Hindu devotees line up at the frisking point before trekking towards the holy cave of Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine following a fatal crowd surge in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A crowd surge at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 15 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)Another devotee named Priyansh said he and 10 friends from New Delhi arrived Friday night to visit the shrine. He said two of his friends died in the crush.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports A policeman and a health worker carry the coffin of a victim, who died in a stampede at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine, at a hospital in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A stampede at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 13 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi expressed his condolences in a message on Twitter.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Policemen stand guard as devotees line up for registration to visit the holy cave of Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine following a stampede in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A stampede at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 13 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)“Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede,” Modi wrote.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Devotees line up for registration to visit the holy cave of Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine following a stampede in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A stampede at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 13 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)Pilgrims often trek on foot to reach the hilltop temple, which is one of the most visited shrines in northern India.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Police officers take down the details of the victims, who died in a stampede at the Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine, at a hospital in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A stampede at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 13 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)Deadly crowd surges are fairly common during Indian religious festivals where huge gatherings, sometimes in the millions, cover small areas with few safety or control measures.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports People wait to collect bodies of their relatives from community health centre in Katra, near Jammu, India, Jan.1, 2022. A stampede at a popular religious Hindu shrine has killed at least 12 people and injured 12 others on New Year’s Day in Indian-controlled Kashmir early Saturday, officials said. Authorities were investigating what caused the stampede at Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine where tens of thousands of Hindu devotees assemble daily to pay their obeisance in hilly Katra town near southern Jammu city. (AP Photograph/Channi Anand)In 2013, pilgrims visiting a temple for a popular Hindu festival in central Madhya Pradesh state trampled over each other amid fears that a bridge would collapse, and at least 115 people were crushed to death or died in the river below.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Policemen help to load coffin of a victim of a stampede from community health centre in Katra, near Jammu, India, Jan.1, 2022. A stampede at a popular religious Hindu shrine has killed at least 12 people and injured 12 others on New Year’s Day in Indian-controlled Kashmir early Saturday, officials said. Authorities were investigating what caused the stampede at Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine where tens of thousands of Hindu devotees assemble daily to pay their obeisance in hilly Katra town near southern Jammu city. (AP Photograph/Channi Anand)More than 100 Hindu devotees died in a 2011 crush at a religious festival in the southern state of Kerala.

© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Hindu devotees walk towards the holy cave of Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine following a fatal crowd surge in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A crowd surge at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 15 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)© Provided by Associated Press – Sports Hindu devotees line up to start their trek towards the holy cave of Mata Vaishnav Devi shrine following a fatal crowd surge, in Katra, India, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. A crowd surge at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 12 people and injured 15 others on New Year’s Day, officials said. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)