At least twelve people died on Saturday after a mass panic at a shrine in India. More than ten other people were injured at the Hindu shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra in the Jammu and Kashmir region, various media reported. A doctor from the community health center said the exact number of victims is not yet available.
The Times of India quoted a police officer as saying that the panic was triggered by an argument that led to people pushing each other. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter that he was extremely sad about the loss of life in the mass panic. He hoped the injured would soon recover.
The faithful flocked to the Hindu shrine Mata Vaishno Devi for the traditional New Year’s visit to pray there. The temple is one of the most important places of worship for Hindus in northern India and is visited by tens of thousands of believers every day. It is located in the Katra Mountains, about 30 kilometers from the city of Jammu. (SDA)