BOMBAY (PTI): Eleven pilgrims were killed and 18 others seriously injured in a stampede during the immersion ceremony of the 40-day festival at the temple of “lord Jhulelal” (Varun Devta) at Ulhasnagar, in nearby Thane district, about 56 kms from here, on Sept4.
The incident occurred when over one lakh Sindhi devotees from all over the country converged at the holy shrine of Lord Jhulelal at camp five of Ulihasnagar, police said,
The pilgrims, as part of Sindhi tradition, were offering flowers and coconuts in earthen posts on the fast day of the 40-day festival,
Police said when the devotees in large numbers were coming down the staircase of a two storey building within the temple premises, rain started pouring in and devotees rushed back to the building, resulting in the stampede.
The victims were rushed to central hospital and Sarvodaya hospital in Ullhasnagar where 11 of them were declared dead before admission. The seriously injured were being treated in the hospitals, police added.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 18, 1992
