Madhya Pradesh, the death toll in a stampede during the Navratri festival near a temple in Datia district has risen to 109. Datia District's Chief Medical Officer RS Gupta said, autopsies on 109 bodies were conducted till late last night. More than 100 people were injured in the incident on the bridge over Sindh river near Ratangarh temple. The stampede was triggered by rumours that the river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse.
The state government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident. 50 pilgrims had been washed away at the same site in 2006. The festivities turned into a tragedy as the devotees from Datia and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh thronged the Durga temple to offer prayers on the occasion of Navratri.
The state government, with the approval of the State Election Commission in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, has announced an ex-gratia of 1.5 lakh rupees to the kin of those killed in the stampede. The government also announced an assistance of 50,000 rupees each to the seriously injured and 25,000 rupees each for those who suffered minor injuries in the mishap.