:Pratapgarh stampede
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox news event
|image=200px
|caption=Stampede in Uttar Pradesh
|date= {{start date|df=yes|2010|03|4}}
|time=
|place=Kunda, Uttar Pradesh, India
|fatalities=63
|reported injuries=100+
|reported deaths=at least 63
}}
{{Coord|25|37|9|N|81|41|12|E|type:landmark_region:IN-UP|display=title|notes={{cite web|url=http://wikimapia.org/495204/Ram-Janki-temple |title=Ram Janki temple |publisher=Wikimapia.org |access-date=6 March 2010}}}}
The Pratapgarh stampede was a crowd crush incident that occurred on 4 March 2010, at Ram Janki temple of the Kripalu Maharaj ashram in Kunda, Uttar Pradesh, India, that killed 63 people{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/At-least-65-dead-in-stampede-in-UP-temple/articleshow/5640416.cms|title=At least 65 dead in stampede in UP temple|date=4 March 2010|access-date=4 March 2010|work=The Times of India}} and seriously injured 74 more.{{cite web|last1=Special Correspondent|title=Mayawati announces compensation for victims of ashram stampede|url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/11/stories/2010031164381400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316141343/http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/11/stories/2010031164381400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 March 2010|work=The Hindu|access-date=6 July 2014|location=Lucknow, India|date=11 March 2010}} The incident occurred as 10,000 people attended the temple to receive free items, such as clothes and food, on the first anniversary of the death of the wife of Kripalu Maharaj.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/7367186/Indian-temple-stampede-leaves-60-dead.html|title=Indian temple stampede leaves 60 dead|date=4 March 2010|access-date=4 March 2010|work=The Daily Telegraph}}
Cause
An unfinished temple gate fell,{{cite web|author=Damien Pearse|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/India-Temple-Stampede-Children-Among-More-Than-60-Killed-In-Uttar-Pradesh/Article/201003115566976?lpos=World_News_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_8&lid=ARTICLE_15566976_India_Temple_Stampede%3A_Children_Among_More_Than_60_Killed_In_Uttar_Pradesh|title=Thirty-Seven Children Die in India Stampede|date=4 March 2010|access-date=4 March 2010|publisher=Sky News}} which may have led to a panic among the crowd and to the stampede. Some were crushed beneath the gate while others were trampled by other members of the crowd. The cause of the gate's fall was not immediately clear,{{cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2010/03/201034105714498716.html|title=Scores dead in India stampede|date=4 March 2010|access-date=4 March 2010|publisher=Al Jazeera}} but it may have been torn down by the crowd. This year's lunch had increased attendance due to "the prior announcement that some utensils would also be distributed along with lunch", a lawmaker said. A nearby tea stall owner, witness to the stampede, reported people fearing electrocution may have caused panic. As rumours broke out that a live electric wire was in the area and had already electrocuted someone, the crowd rushed towards the under-construction gate causing it to crash.{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/electrocution-rumour-sparked-up-ashram-stampede/111084-3.html?from=tn?from=rssfeed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006141151/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/electrocution-rumour-sparked-up-ashram-stampede/111084-3.html?from=tn?from=rssfeed|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 October 2012|title=Electrocution rumour sparked UP ashram stampede|date=5 March 2010|publisher=IBNLive.com|access-date=5 March 2010}}
Stampede
Of the more than 63 deaths, there were at least 37 children and 26 women, who collapsed onto their children and were trampled themselves.{{cite news|author=Jeremy Page|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7049702.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605002333/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7049702.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 June 2011|title=Stampede for free clothes at Hindu temple in India kills at least 63|date=4 March 2010|access-date=4 March 2010|work=The Times}} There are no reports of any deaths or injuries to men.{{cite web|author=Jeremy Page|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/northern-indian-temple-stampede-kills-37-children-26-women/story-e6frf7jx-1225837157499|title=Northern Indian temple stampede kills 37 children, 26 women|date=5 March 2010|access-date=5 March 2010|publisher=Herald Sun}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0304/india.html|title=63 killed in Indian temple stampede|date=4 March 2010|access-date=4 March 2010|publisher=RTÉ}} Many of the dead were poor villagers taking advantage of the offer of free food.{{cite web|author=Anjana Pasricha|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/article-63-killed-in-stampede-at-indian-temple-86323802/113435.html|title=More Than 60 Killed in Stampede at Indian Temple|date=4 March 2010|access-date=4 March 2010|publisher=Voice of America}} Witnesses said police exacerbated the incident by beating people with lathis.{{cite web|author=Romulo Tangbawan |url=http://arabnews.com/world/article25865.ece |title=63 dead in stampede over food at Indian temple |date=4 March 2010 |access-date=4 March 2010 |publisher=ArabNews |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307122736/http://arabnews.com/world/article25865.ece |archive-date=7 March 2010 }}
Aftermath
Indian television aired images of stones being thrown.{{cite web|author=Vibhuti Agarwal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704187204575100983084684828?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLTopStories|title=India Temple Stampede Kills 63|date=4 March 2010|access-date=4 March 2010|publisher=The Wall Street Journal}} People and media complained about the lack of crowd control techniques at the temple thereby exaggerating the death toll. Many hundreds of weeping friends and relatives went to a local hospital upon hearing of the stampede. An inquiry was asked for by the Uttar Pradesh state government.{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_allahabad-commissioner-to-probe-stampede-report-in-24-hours_1355276|title=Allahabad Commissioner to probe stampede, report in 24 hours|date=4 March 2010|access-date=4 March 2010|publisher=DNA}} A report is expected to be finalised within 48 hours. The ashram remained closed since the incident and large number of policemen including armed personnel were stationed outside its gates. President of Indian National Congress and chairman of ruling United Progressive Alliance, Sonia Gandhi, condoled the deaths of women and children in stampede.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article153818.ece|title=Sonia condoles stampede deaths|date=5 March 2010|work=The Hindu|access-date=5 March 2010}}
On 5 March Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a compensation of {{INRConvert|200000}} to relatives of those died in stampede and {{INRConvert|50000}} to those who were seriously injured.{{cite news|url=http://www.india-server.com/news/prime-minister-announces-compensation-22265.html |title=Prime Minister Announces Compensation For Uttar Pradesh Stampede Victims |date=5 March 2010 |publisher=IndiaServer.com |access-date=5 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307050305/http://www.india-server.com/news/prime-minister-announces-compensation-22265.html |archive-date=7 March 2010 }} On 10 March Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati announced "...compensation of Rs. 2.50 lakh [(250,000)] each for the next of kin of the 63 persons who died ... [and] Rs. 75,000 ... for each of the 74 who were injured." It's not clear whether this was (or was intended to be) in addition to the Prime Minister's announced payments.
On 7 March, spiritual guru Kripaluji Maharaj's Bhakti Dham Ashr announced that it would pay a lakh (100,000) rupees each to the families of the 63 dead and Rs. 50,000 to each of the 64 injured. The funds were given to the district magistrate to distribute to the correct parties.{{cite web|title=Ashram pays damages to kin of stampede victims|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/article255627.ece?service=print|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715065027/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/article255627.ece?service=print|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 July 2014|publisher=The New Indian Express|access-date=6 July 2014|location=Mangarh, Pratapgarh, India | agency=IANS|date=7 March 2010}}
References
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{{Human stampedes}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pratapgarh stampede, 2010}}
Category:Human stampedes in India
Category:Human stampedes in 2010
Category:History of Uttar Pradesh (1947–present)