NEW DELHI: Two devotees killed and seven others sustained injuries following a stampede at a shrine, known for attracting a large number of people seeking a cure for people possessed by “evil spirits” in Himachal Pradesh‘s Una district on Monday, officials said.
The incident occurred due to a landslide at Dera Baba Vadbhag Singh in Mairi village of Amb subdivision, located approximately 40 km from Una.
According to the police, devotees participating in the Baba Vadbhag Singh fair were bathing in the sacred spring of Charan Ganga around 5 am when a landslide occurred, causing four to five large stones to slide down from the mountain, prompting panic among the crowd. This led to a stampede, resulting in the injuries of nine devotees.
The injured individuals were taken to the Civil Hospital Amb for medical assistance, where two devotees named Billa and Balveer Chand from Faridkot, Punjab succumbed to their injuries, the officials added.
The police sent the bodies for postmortem, while five injured individuals were transferred to Una Zonal Hospital, two others were referred to PGI Chandigarh for further treatment.
ASP Sanjeev Bhatia said that “the devotees who have been injured are under treatment.”
Deputy Commissioner, Una, Jatin Lal said that devotees are prohibited from bathing in Charan Ganga until the situation stabilizes.
Statements from eyewitnesses present at the scene will be collected to ascertain the exact cause of the accident, added Una SP Rakesh Singh.
(With inputs from agencies)
The incident occurred due to a landslide at Dera Baba Vadbhag Singh in Mairi village of Amb subdivision, located approximately 40 km from Una.
According to the police, devotees participating in the Baba Vadbhag Singh fair were bathing in the sacred spring of Charan Ganga around 5 am when a landslide occurred, causing four to five large stones to slide down from the mountain, prompting panic among the crowd. This led to a stampede, resulting in the injuries of nine devotees.
The injured individuals were taken to the Civil Hospital Amb for medical assistance, where two devotees named Billa and Balveer Chand from Faridkot, Punjab succumbed to their injuries, the officials added.
The police sent the bodies for postmortem, while five injured individuals were transferred to Una Zonal Hospital, two others were referred to PGI Chandigarh for further treatment.
ASP Sanjeev Bhatia said that “the devotees who have been injured are under treatment.”
Deputy Commissioner, Una, Jatin Lal said that devotees are prohibited from bathing in Charan Ganga until the situation stabilizes.
Statements from eyewitnesses present at the scene will be collected to ascertain the exact cause of the accident, added Una SP Rakesh Singh.
(With inputs from agencies)
