Patna stampede: Rumours may have a hand in tragedy; Bihar CM Jiten Ram Manjhi promises action, trashes 'Dummy CM' tag

With one more person succumbing to injuries, the toll in the stampede outside the sprawling Gandhi Maidan here after Dussehra celebrations has climbed to 33.

Updates from the incident: 

Patna Dusserra tragedy: Rumours may have a hand in stampede; Bihar CM Jiten Ram Manjhi promises action, trashes 'Dummy CM' tag

While all are anxious to know the outcome of the probe ordered by the Bihar government into the stampede here, to be conducted by state Home Secretary Amir Subhani and police ADG Gupteshwar Pandey, accounts by witnesses and officials point at rumour having a possible hand in the tragedy.According to police officials present at the place of occurrence, a rumour about electric supply line falling on the crowd near the western exit gate of Gandhi Maidan spread like wildfire, triggering panic among people who ran for cover.

"Actually it was a broken cable TV wire. Some people, including youths, started the rumour about it being an electricity line. Sudden panic gripped the people and they trampled over one another in their efforts to run away from the place. Women and children bore the brunt," said Satya Narayan Ram, DSP (Police Headquarters) said. Read more

Patna stampede: Rumour about electric supply line falling on the crowd lead caused stampede, say police

While all are anxious to know the outcome of the probe ordered by the Bihar government into the stampede here, to be conducted by state Home Secretary Amir Subhani and police ADG Gupteshwar Pandey, accounts by witnesses and officials point at rumour having a possible hand in the tragedy.According to police officials present at the place of occurrence, a rumour about electric supply line falling on the crowd near the western exit gate of Gandhi Maidan spread like wildfire, triggering panic among people who ran for cover. "Actually it was a broken cable TV wire. Some people, including youths, started the rumour about it being an electricity line. Sudden panic gripped the people and they trampled over one another in their efforts to run away from the place. Women and children bore the brunt," said Satya Narayan Ram, DSP (Police Headquarters) told PTI. Read more

Shatrughan Sinha blames state government for stampede

"Gross failure of the administration..no lessons seem to have been learnt at all," Sinha, Lok Sabha member from Patna, said after visiting Patna Medical College and Hospital. "Within two years of the shameful and horrific Chhath puja tragedy in Patna that had left 18 killed, yet another tragedy of similar proportion has occurred," he told reporters at PMCH.  Read more

Ravi Shankar Prasad blames Bihar Government

Expressing profound grief over the loss of lives in the stampede at Gandhi Maidan, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday hit out at the Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Bihar Government and asked why proper arrangements were not made on the day of Vijayadashami. Prasad, who met the victims at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) here, said that thirty-three people lost their lives in the stampede because of apathy and indifference. "Why were proper arrangements not made? If the allegation is true that only one gate was open, why it is so? If people say that there was no light, why it is so? I think this is a very elementary accountability which the state government has to explain," said Prasad. Read more

Ramvilas Paswan blames 'insensitive' Bihar government

With the toll in the stampede incident outside the Gandhi Maidan here going up to 33 today, Union minister Ramvilas Paswan blamed the Bihar government for "lapses" that resulted in the tragedy, though it was denied by the city's district administration. Principal Secretary Home Amir Subhani told PTI that one more person died today, taking the toll to 33. 29 others were injured of whom the condition of four was stated to be critical, he said. Of the 29 injured admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), 17 are women and 12 are men, he said. Read more

Gandhi Maidan stampede: Bihar Home Secretary Amir Subhani assures thorough probe

Bihar's Principal Secretary (Home) Amir Subhani on Saturday said a thorough investigation will be conducted to find out the reason for Friday's stampede at the Gandhi Maidan here, and added that a hearing in this case will take place next Tuesday.

Subhani and Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Gupteshwar Pandey have been asked to conduct an inquiry into the stampede.

Subhani said the statements of the magistrate and police personnel deployed on duty will be taken separately. Read More

Tragedy at Gandhi maidan due to suffocation says Patna district administration

Facing flak for the stampede at Gandhi maidan that left 33 dead and 29 injured, Patna district administration today denied lapses and said the tragedy "seems to be result of suffocation" due to the huge gathering of people for Dusshera celebrations.

"People appear to have died due to suffocation," District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma told reporters at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH). Read More

Lalu Prasad Yadav attributes Patna stampede to administrative 'lapse'

RJD president Lalu Prasad today said the stampede outside Gandhi Maidan which left 33 dead appears to be a result of administrative "lapse" and expressed dismay over the administration's inability to make foolproof arrangements despite several unpleasant incidents in the past at the grounds in the heart of the capital.

"Gandhi maidan stampede appears to be a matter of administrative lapse," Prasad wrote on micro-blogging website Twitter. Read More

"Stern action shall be taken against officials found guilty...I am keeping a watch over the event," he said.

Principal Secretary Home Amir Subhani said that one more person died today, taking the toll to 33. Twenty-nine others were injured of whom the condition of four patients was stated to be critical, Subhani said.

Of the 29 injured admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), 17 are women and 12 are men, he said.

Subhani, who along with Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Gupteshwar Pandey has been appointed to inquire into the stampede incident, said he would begin the probe with a visit to the spot at Gandhi Maidan at noon.

The tragedy struck at around 7 PM at the South East corner of the ground near the Exhibition road when people were returning after watching the "Ravana Vadh" (killing of demon king) event and jostled with each other to move ahead, eyewitnesses and officials said.

Tens of thousands of people had gathered to watch the annual event at the historic Gandhi Maidan where several pockets were reportedly dimly lit when the stampede broke out.

Patna Medical College and Hospital'a (PMCH) Deputy Superintendent Sudhanshu Singh said 32 people died in the stampede--20 women, 10 children and two men. Seven girls were among the 10 child victims, he said, adding 26 people were injured and receiving treatment.

Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has ordered an inquiry by Home Secretary and Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Gupteshwar Pandey, the CMO said.

He has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh each to the next of the kin of the dead.

Condoling the loss of lives in the stampede, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sanctioned an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed.

Eyewitnesses said the stampede was sparked by rumours that a live high high tension wire had snapped and fallen on ground triggering panic. However, there was no official confirmation of the exact cause of the stampede.

Slippers, shoes and footwear lay strewn on a one-km stretch at the stampede site as people tried to flee from the scene.The PMCH has been cordoned off by the security forces.

Hundreds of people were milling around the PMCH, some of them wailing, trying to locate their near and dear ones who got separated in the event. Several ambulances were seen going inside the PMCH carrying stampede victims.

"There was a rush towards the exit gate that several women and children were run over in the frenzy," Patna District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said.

The Bihar Chief Minister was present at the Gandhi Maidan where people watched an arrow setting the 60-feet tall effigy of Ravan into flames.

Inspector General of Police(Patna zone) Kundan Krishnan was seen manning the entrance of the PMCH regulating the entry of people.

Rajnath speaks to Bihar CM, seeks report on Patna stampede

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh tonight spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi about the stampede in Patna which left 32 people dead after the Dussherra celebrations, sources said. Singh is understood to have sought a report from the state government on the incident.

Section of crowd vents ire on police

Members of the crowd near the Gandhi Maidan, where a stampede after Dussherra celebrations left 32 people dead, razed down a traffic post venting their anger at the police. A PTI reporter saw the crowd venting their ire by razing down the post on South-East side of the Gandhi Maidan en route to Exhibition Road, burning tyres and raising slogans against the police at around 10 PM. Senior police officials with anti-riot vehicles rushed to the spot and managed to control the protesters.