30 killed in stampede in S. India

NEW DELHI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- In a tragic incident, nearly 30 people were killed and scores of others injured in a stampede at a religious festival in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh Tuesday.

"The stampede broke out at Pushkaralu, a Hindu festival that celebrates rivers and is held every 12 years, on the banks of the Godavari river in the state's Rajamundhry district. The dead included 25 women and a 10-year-old child," a senior police official said.
The injured have been admitted to a local hospital, he said, adding that the condition of some are said to be serious.
Local TV channels reported that the incident happened when a group of pilgrims rushed towards one of the gates that allows access to the river banks and in the melee, a group of women slipped.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his condolences and spoke to the state's Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu about the situation. "Deeply pained at the loss of lives due to stampede at Rajahmundry. My condolences to the families of the deceased & prayers with the injured," he tweeted.
The incident happened barely a couple of hours after Naidu bathed in the river, with some pilgrims blaming the authorities for grave mismanagement of crowds and inadequate arrangements on the first day of the festival.
A probe has been ordered into the incident, the official said.
This is not the first time that such an incident has happened. In 2003, some 39 people were killed in a stampede on the banks of the river at Nashik in the western state of Maharashtra, following throwing of coins on the crowd.

Source: news.cn