Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met the survivors of the stampede in the hospital on Monday. The police say a rumour of the bridge collapsing sparked the stampede while eyewitnesses are blaming it on a police lathicharge. The death toll in the temple stampede in Ratangarh in Madhya Pradesh has risen to 112 while more than 100 people have been injured. At least 30 of those dead in the tragedy are children.
The incident has led to call for Chouhan's resignation. "When the BJP holds a Mahakumbh with its party workers then the Madhya Pradesh government deploys hundreds of policemen. However, there was very little police presence at the Ratangarh temple. The incident indicates the poor governance and the corruption of the Madhya Pradesh government," Congress leader Ajay Maken said.
The Left too hit out at the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government. "The MP government did not learn its lessons from the previous tragedies. Had it learn lessons and taken precautions to not let such tragedies occur again and again," CPI leader D Raja said.
The stampede took place on the bridge over the Sindh river on Sunday. The police say the rumour of a bridge collapsing sparked the stampede. "A tractor hit the fence of the bridge which caused panic and a rumour spread that the bridge is about to collapse. This is the initial reason cited, it will be clear after a further investigation," said MP Chief Secretary Antony JC Disa. Eyewitnesses though have blamed it on a police lathicharge. There were clashes reported between pilgrims and the police after the tragedy, during which one police officer is reported to be injured.
The state government, with the approval of the State Election Commission in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh to the relatives of those killed in the stampede. The government also announced an assistance of Rs 50,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 each for those who suffered minor injuries in the mishap.
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