Chitrakoot temple stampede kills 10 persons

Today morning, in a stampede at a temple in Chitrakoot area in northern Vindhya range of mountains spread over the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, ten people including six women have been killed and 30 people have been injured.District Collector of Satna  has ordered a magisterial inquiry in the incident.Satna Police said Rope barriers were tied to contain thousands of Hindu pilgrims during parikrama of Kamadgiri hill gave way resulted in a stampede in which six women were killed and 30 injured.

Accident happened during the ” Parikrama (circumambulation) of the hill on the occasion of Somavati Amavasya , is no moon day that falls on a Monday as per traditional Hindu calendar.The stampede occurred during ‘Shayana Pradakshinam’ which is done in a lying posture, an officer told.

“In this pose, the devotees circumambulate on the pradakshina path. The relatives and friends of the devotees help them to roll around. Some of the pilgrims who were walking fell on the ground during the circumambulation and this triggered a panic,” IG added.

Kamadgiri hill is a place believed to have been the abode of Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman during their exile. Lord Kamtanath, another of his names, is the Ishta Deva principal deity not only of Kamadgiri Parvat but of the whole of Chitrakoot.The stampede took place near Bharat Milap Temple amid thousands of pilgrims. The temple is located on the back side of the hill, as per Police.