http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7539509.stm
"India temple stampede 'kills 140' A stampede at a hilltop temple in northern India has killed at least 140 people, police say. The stampede happened at the Nainadevi temple in the Bilsapur district of Himachal Pradesh state, during a nine-day Hindu religious festival. Police said the victims included 40 children. Fifty more people were hurt and have been taken to hospital. The Nainadevi temple is about 160km (100 miles) from the Himalayan hill town of Shimla. Most of the worshippers are believed to be from the neighbouring state of Punjab. Crowds had gathered at the temple to celebrate the festival of Shravan Navratras, which began on Saturday and runs until 11 August. At least 50,000 people were expected to attend the festivities, says the BBC's Damian Grammaticas in Delhi. Hindu worshippers were climbing up a 4-km (2.5-mile) trail leading to a hill-top temple, chanting and singing hymns, when the stampede happened. Our correspondent says a rain shelter beside the narrow mountain collapsed during poor weather conditions, causing widespread panic amid fears of a landslide. Hundreds were then crushed together in a tiny space where they were unable to breathe. Children lost their grip on their mothers' hands and were crushed under the feet of scared pilgrims attempting to leap over broken railings to save themselves, witnesses said. Television footage showed the narrow path strewn with torn clothes and bags with flowers and offerings. Survivors gathered at nearby hospitals looking for injured relatives. The chief minister of Himachal Pradesh is said to have offered compensation to those injured in the stampede, and to the families of those killed. Indian temples are regularly hit by stampedes, as huge crowds of Hindu devotees flock to make offerings at festival times. There have been at least three fatal stampedes in the country so far during 2008, although the numbers killed were far smaller than in the latest incident." Dangerous Addiction Maru -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." ~Voltaire. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
