By Geetinder GarewalPosted 2008/08/04 at 8:38 am EDT
CHANDIGARH, India, Aug. 4, 2008 (Reuters) — Indian authorities ordered an investigation on Monday into possible organizational lapses that led to a stampede outside a mountaintop Hindu temple in northern India, killing at least 145 pilgrims.
Rumors of a landslide triggered a stampede on Sunday by pilgrims who ran down a narrow mountain trail from the Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh state, only to meet thousands of people walking up.
Most were trampled while dozens fell to their deaths after railings broke on the steep mountainside. More than 100 people were injured.
Officials said the number of pilgrims had risen sharply on the weekend at the temple, overwhelming security staff.
"There are two routes leading to the temple and the barricades put up to streamline human traffic broke down and in the melee everything went haywire," Rakesh Kapoor, a regional official for the Himachal Pradesh government, told Reuters.
"It was raining very heavily and the crowds had swelled immensely and as soon as the rain stopped people tried to rush ahead," Kapoor added. "Then rumors of a landslide started the stampede."
Thousands of worshippers had gathered at the temple in Bilaspur district, some 150 km (95 miles) north of the city of Chandigarh, during an annual festival.
Thousands were back at the temple on Monday, watched closely by armed policemen who had put up barricades in the area, temple officials said.
Worshippers were being allowed to ascend in smaller groups. Volunteers were guiding worshippers, as women chanting and singing hymns were streaming into the temple, holding their children close to them, officials said.
At least 40 children and 45 women died in the stampede, police officers said.
Those who survived saw people jumping to their death from the hill, in a desperate attempt to escape.
"There was a man with his child and he was shaking the child to see if he was alive, and all the time tears were flowing down his cheeks," survivor Vindo Bala said by telephone on Monday.
CRIES FOR HELP
In India, stampedes are not uncommon at temples, where thousands of people often gather to pray during festivals.
Witnesses told police how security officials stood helplessly as thousands ran down the slope, breaking railings.
"No one from the police or administration was helping and it was just people helping each other in the pouring rain," 52-year-old Bala said.
Others said people were carrying their dead or seriously injured relatives on makeshift slings made from torn clothes.
"There was total chaos everywhere and I saw dead bodies everywhere and blood-soaked survivors crying for help," said Birbal Wadhera, 30, another pilgrim who survived.
Victims and their relatives said clinics were short-staffed and did not have enough medicines to treat the injured.
"I am so shocked that I am trembling in my house and terrified to step out and go to work," Wadhera said.
Temple officials said the festival will continue. It is due to end on August 11.
(Writing by Bappa Majumdar; Editing by Jonathan Allen and Paul Tait)
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