• published: 14 Oct 2013
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MP temple stampede: Death toll rises to 115, blame game begins over tragedy India temple stampede in Madhya Pradesh 'kills 115' 115 killed, over 100 injured in Madhya Pradesh temple stampede 115 killed, 100 injured after rumour sparks stampede at Madhya Pradesh temple 115 pilgrims killed in stampede near MP temple after rumours of bridge collapse MP: Death toll in temple stampede rises to 115, over 100 injured Live: MP stampede toll at 115, did police loot, dump bodies in river? The death toll in Sunday's stampede at Ratangarh Temple in Madha Pradesh's Datia district rose to 112 on Monday. According to reports, more than 100 people have been injured in the incident and at least 17 of those dead in the tragedy are children. A blame game has also begun between Congress and the ruling BJP over the tragic incident. After the temple tragedy, the ruling BJP has taken a defensive stand, maintaining that a rumour about the bridge collapsing led to the stampede. State government spokesperson and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra, however, admitted that "mild force" used by the police on pilgrims worsened the situation. The Opposition Congress, however, squarely blamed the ineptitude of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government for the tragedy. Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh said that despite a stampede near the temple in 2006, the police and the administration were caught napping. "Postings of collectors and SPs in districts are made on the basis of the money they fetch," he said. "This is a common practice in the BJP regime and those getting postings in this fashion care two hoots for action in the event of a lapse on their part. I am told that policemen were taking R200 for letting tractor-trolleys pass the bridge, which led to the stampede. I demand a judicial inquiry into this sad incident," Singh added. Former home minister and Congress leader Satyadev Katare said there was complete mishandling of the crowd by the police and administration. It's the only occasion when pilgrims were lathi-charged. The incident happened when the pilgrims were crossing the Sindh river bridge to attend a religious ritual on the last day of Navratra festival at Ratangarh's Mandula Devi temple, which is about 60 kms from district headquarters, and around 320 kms away from the state capital. The stampede was apparently triggered by a rumour that the bridge across Sindh river the devotees were crossing was about to collapse after a tractor hit the fence of the bridge causing panic. Datia district's Chief Medical Officer (CMO) R Gupta said autopsies on 109 bodies were conducted till late last night. DK Arya, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Chambal Range, was quoted as saying that rumours led to the accident. Police also resorted to mild lathicharge to control when the crowd started pelting stones at the cops. Unconfirmed reports said that the stampede took place as some people were trying to jump the queue and police used batons to control them. Arya said nearly 100 people have been injured in the mishap and they have been rushed to nearby hospitals. A Sub Divisional Officer was also seriously injured after being hit by the stones. Thousands of people have thronged the temple during the Navaratras this year. The state government, with the approval of the State Election Commission in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh to the kin of those killed in the stampede. Death toll in India temple stampede rises to 109 Hindu temple stampede: Women and children among 109 dead and hundreds ... Stampede Near Indian Hindu Temple Kills 109 Scores killed in India temple stampede Scores killed in stampede outside temple in Madhya Pradesh, India 111 pilgrims killed in stampede near MP temple after rumours of bridge collapse India temple stampede in Madhya Pradesh 'kills 91' Death toll in India temple stampede rises to 109 Death toll in temple stampede rises to 109, MP government orders judicial inquiry Women, children among at least 109 killed in Madhya Pradesh temple stampede Indian stampede kills Hindu worshippers Scores killed in Indian temple stampede 64 killed Indian temple stampede Scores dead after bridge stampede near Hindu temple in India Stampede near Indian temple kills 89 people 113 dead in Madhya Pradesh temple stampede, toll likely to rise 115 pilgrims,pilgrims,Bhopal,Bhopal Temple,MP temple,MP temple stampede,Durga Puja,Dussehra,Madhya Pradesh stampede,Ratangarh temple,Datia district, Navratri festivities,MP Datia district,MP temple tragedy,stampede in temple,stampedein mp,stampede,stampede in MP Temple,Temple Stampede,Ratnagarh Temple Stampede,Madhya Pradesh,Madhya Pradesh Stampede,MP Temple Stampede,Hindu temple stampede,India temple stampede,stampede in Hindu temple,Death toll in temple stampede,Digvijay Singh,Pranab Mukherjee,