Asia

Asia

Some 32 dead in stampede in eastern India: official

03 October 2014 22:14 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. A stampede at a popular Hindu festival in eastern India to celebrate the victory of good over evil left 32 people dead on Friday, an official said, APA reports quoting AFP.

Thousands of people were starting to leave the grounds after celebrating the Dussehra festival in the city of Patna when panic erupted, possibly caused by rumours of an electrical fire.

"We have information that 32 people including women and children died due to a stampede," Gupteshwar Pandey, additional director general of police for Bihar state, told AFP.

"Dozens of people were seriously injured," he said.

The crowds were exiting the Gandhi Maidan venue after watching giant effigies of Hindu demon king Ravana set ablaze in a tradition for Dussehra -- a custom especially enjoyed by families -- when people rushed and fell.

"Someone screamed that a burning electrical wire (had) set fire on the ground and, hearing that, almost everyone jumped on each other to get out of the venue as quickly as possible," a witness who did not give his name told the NDTV network.

"Because of that they all got trampled on and run over. It was pure panic."

Dussehra, celebrated by millions of Hindus mainly across the country's north, is marked with a holiday.

Patna district magistrate Kumar Verma put the death toll at between 20 and 25, adding that all of the injured have been rushed to the city's hospitals.

"The information we have is that most of the victims were women, five to six were children and about 20 women," he told reporters.

"Fifteen have been injured. Hospital staff are on the job. I have full faith that all the injured will be saved."