Canada Global (Web News) At least six people lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries during a stampede at a Hindu religious gathering in India, officials reported on Thursday.
The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday when a large crowd assembled to obtain entry tokens for the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh.
“The heartbreaking incident has resulted in the loss of six devotees. I pray for peace for the departed souls,” stated Prem Kumar Jain, a spokesperson for the ruling Telugu Desam Party in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to the families of the victims, expressing his thoughts for those grieving the loss of their loved ones on social media platform X.
Fatal accidents at places of worship are not uncommon in India, especially during major religious events, often due to inadequate crowd control and safety measures.
In July of the previous year, 121 people died during a Hindu religious event in Uttar Pradesh, while in 2016, 112 lives were lost in a temple explosion caused by an illegal fireworks display during Hindu New Year celebrations in Kerala.
This latest incident precedes the Kumbh Mela, a six-week Hindu festival of prayer and ritual bathing, anticipated to be the largest religious gathering in history. Organizers expect the event to draw nearly 400 million participants.
