At least 27 people have been killed and 34 others
injured in a stampede during a Hindu religious
bathing festival in the banks of a holy river in
southern India, a government official has said.
The Hindu pilgrims had gathered to take a dip in
the Godavari river at the start of the Maha
Pushkaralu festival.
The stampede occurred at 08:00 (02:30 GMT) in
the Rajahmundry district.
Nearly 24 million pilgrims are expected to take
part in the 12-day festival. Pilgrims believe that
taking a bath in the river will rid them of their
sins.
"The incident happened as the first set of
worshippers were coming out of the river after
taking a dip and then got in the way of others
who wanted to be in the water at an auspicious
time," senior police official stated.
V Satyanarayana, a pilgrim who was at the site,
said the stampede lasted nearly 20 minutes.
"It was a frightening situation, with women and
children crying for help," he told Associated Press.
"The policemen on duty were helpless and it took
more than an hour to bring the situation under
control."
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