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Ranchi, Sep 24 (IANS) At least nine devotees, including eight women, were suffocated to death following a stampede at an ashram in Jharkhand's Deoghar district Monday, police said.
Nearly 2.5 lakh people from Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand were gathered for Seer Thakur Anukul Chand's 125th birth anniversary celebrations when the tragedy occurred during early morning prayers.
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"People were vying to catch a glimpse of the samadhi. The prayer hall gate was closed and a stampede took place. In the stampede, more than 30 people fainted," a police official told IANS over telephone. "They were taken to hospital, where nine died. All the dead were above 50 years."
Deoghar is located some 300 km from Ranchi.
Police said there were volunteers to manage the crowds in the hall but they failed to control the vast numbers.
"A probe has been ordered. The number of people allowed to gather at such occasions ought to be restricted," Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul Purwar told the media.
"In this instance, volunteers from the ashram were managing the crowd in the premises. Police could only provide security outside the ashram," he added.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda has announced Rs.2 lakh compensation to the kin of each of the killed people.
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