At least 64 civilians were killed in a stampede in central India following a religious ceremony held in a Hindu temple on Sunday.
The stampede broke out as thousands panicked that the bridge supporting the crowd would collapse. Several reports suggest that policemens’ use of batons only intensified the melee.
The Independent suggest that incidents like this are common in India as authorities remain relatively inept at controlling crowds. The state government has requested an investigation into the event.
Atul Chaudhary, a survivor of the stampede, told BBC News that “Several people could be seen flattened to the ground in the midst of the melee [...] Some of the youngsters panicked and jumped into the swollen river. I and my friends were close to the exit point and along with several others ran for safety. Scores of others were not so lucky.”
64 people were killed in the stampede, but nearly a hundred people were injured. The Indian government announced it would give up to 50,000 rupees to those injured in the stampede, says a href=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/64-feared-killed-100-injured-in-temple-stampede-in-madhya-pradesh-during-navratri-festivities/articleshow/24097733.cms>The Economic Times.