Stampede on Odisha's longest bridge, 1 killed, several injured
More than 2 lakh people had gathered on the occasion of Makar Sankranti at Odisha's longest bridge, where two people died due to a stampede. At the same time, many people have been injured seriously in general.
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One person was killed today in a stampede at Badamba-Gopinathpur T-bridge at Athagarh in Cuttack district during Odisha's famous Makar Mela. At the same time, at least 10 to 15 people including women and children have been seriously injured. According to media reports, Athagad Sub Collector Hemant Kumar Swain said, "There were more than 2 lakh people on the bridge when the stampede happened. The crowd was more than we expected. Before anyone could understand anything, the situation got out of control." The injured have been taken to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack city. The death toll could rise as some children were seriously injured. This bridge of 3.4 km is the longest river bridge in Odisha. The stampede happened when devotees were proceeding to visit Lord Singhnath at an island temple in Mahanadi.
Dr. Ranjan Kumar Barik of Baramba Hospital in Odisha has said that one person has died and 9 have been injured in the stampede during the Makar Mela at Sinhanath Temple in Baramba, Cuttack. 3 have been referred to another hospital in Cuttack. Although the number of injured is being told more in media reports, in which the number of seriously injured is also being told more.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed grief over the death of a woman and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.