West Bengal: 6 Pilgrims Die in Rush, State Govt Denies Stampede
Stampede took place when a huge crowd approached the ferry.
Six Killed, Several Injured
Six pilgrims, all women, died due to suffocation during a mad rush of the crowds to board a vessel at Kachuberia on their way home from Gangasagar fair after taking the holy dip.
District officials initially said two pilgrims died on the spot and three, including the woman in the hospital.
The stampede occurred at around 6 pm when there was a huge rush of pilgrims to board vessels to reach Kolkata, the officials said, adding all of them were middle aged and are yet to be identified.
Blatant Denial By State Government
Sundarbans Development Minister Manturam Pakhira, however, said that six elderly women died after falling ill during a rush to board a vessel at a jetty in South 24 Parganas district while returning from the Gangasagar fair.
TMC national spokesperson Derek O’Brien also denied the report of a stampede.
State ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Arup Biswas also refuted that it was a stampede.
PMO Announces Compensation
After the incident, the Prime Minister approved Rs 2 lakh for next of kin of each of those killed and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
South 24 Parganas' District Magistrate PB Salim said the state government would provide a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased.
(With agency inputs)
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