Six dead, several injured in stampede at Haridwar’s Mansa Devi temple; magisterial probe ordered

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Six dead, several injured in stampede at Haridwar's Mansa Devi temple; magisterial probe ordered



Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said a magisterial probe has been ordered.”A stampede broke out at the Mansa Devi temple in the morning because of a rumour… We have ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and those responsible for spreading the rumour will face strict action,” Dhami told reporters.Dhami announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.”Very sad news has been received about a stampede on the way to Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar. SDRF, local police and other rescue teams have reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations,” Dhami wrote in a Facebook post earlier.”I am constantly in touch with the local administration in this regard and the situation is being constantly monitored. I pray to Mata Rani for the safety of all the devotees,” he added.Speaking to TNIE, Pandit Mohit Kumar Sharma, a local resident, voiced his concerns, saying, “It is the moral responsibility of the administration to manage security and darshan arrangements at this world-renowned site.”Perched atop the Shivalik Hills at a height of over 500 feet, the Mansa Devi temple is dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi. It is one of the five sacred sites or Panch Tirthas of Haridwar.According to information received by TNIE, despite the conclusion of the Kanwar Mela and the holy water offering on July 23, lakhs of Kanwariyas and other visitors have continued to throng Haridwar. The weekend further added to the heavy rush in the holy city.The path where the stampede occurred is notoriously narrow. While it is typically closed during major festivals, devotees were reportedly being allowed through on Sunday despite extreme congestion. As a precaution, the route leading to the temple has now been temporarily closed.



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