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What Happened at Jehanabad?
Deadly stampede at Baba Siddhnath Temple in Makhdumpur, Jehanabad district Bihar takes the toll of the death to at least seven with 16 injured. The clash which occurred at about 11:30 p. m. on Sunday seems to have been occasioned by an altercation between the kanwariyas and the flower sellers at the temple entrance. Till now, the authorities have not established the precise cause of the stampede.
Jehanabad District Magistrate Alankrita Pandey has said that the situation has been brought under control now, she said to the news agency PTI, ‘Seven persons, mostly kanwariyas were killed and sixteen others injured in a stampede which occurred at Baba Siddeshwar Nath temple at Barabar Pahadi area of Jehanabad.’ Pandey further said that from the initial investigation it was revealed that a quarrel between kanwariyas ”It seems the kanwariyas got into a disagreement over some issue and that is what caused the stampede,” she said.
However, the administration has been doing everything possible in an endeavor to establish the identity of the deceased. In order to support the families, each one of them will be given Rs 20,000 to help them cremate their loved ones. Pandey said “We are attempting to know the identity of the devotees who died in the incident The administration has decided to give Rs. 20000 each to the next of the kin of the deceased for performing the last rites of the deceased. The families of the deceased would be given additional amounts as per the existing rules.”
Hearings by witnesses have accused the police of negligence alleging that the officers were deployed along the route but not at the scene. One of the witnesses said, “If the administration had been fine, the flower seller would not have fought with the people and when there was a fight The police men were nowhere to be seen at the scene of the incidence, they were deployed along the road, had the police men been deployed at the scene of the incidence, this incidence would not have occurred.”
Jehanabad Sub-Divisional Officer Vikas Kumar said that all the required arrangements were being made, though he admitted that the situation was quite serious. This is a sad incidence,” we were tightening the arrangements and all of a sudden this happened; we are assessing the situation and will get back to you on this.”
Most of the injured people have been taken to hospitals in Mukundapur and nearby regions for treatment. After the incidence, the flower seller who was involved has disappeared from the scene and the police are looking for him. Pandey also stated that a committee has been constituted to look into the factors that led to the stampede including the ADM (Revenue), ADM (Disaster), SDO and other officials.
Nitish Kumar announces ex-gratia.
After the tragedy, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has assured to pay an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakhs to the kin of each deceased. Kumar condemned the incident in as much as he offered his condolences to the families of the deceased. From the Chief Minister’s Office, it was announced that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar condoles the loss of lives and directs to give Rs 4 lakhs as ex-gratia to the next of kin of each of the victims.
It has become a dark episode in the local community, as the authorities try to meet the needs of the families and avoid such cases in the future.
