Nasik, Aug 27: Over 40 pilgrims have been killed and hundreds other injured in a stampede during a holy bath at the ongoing Kumbh festival here today. Nasik Civil Hospital number: 02532-573936.For information on missing children, dial 1098 Victims of the stampede, that occured at 1:30pm this afternnon, mainly comprise elderly women or children.
Nasik Commissioner Vimlendra Mishra said the injured had been admitted to the civil hospital here. He informed that the hospitalised pilgrims are mainly from the states of UP and Bihar.


The stampede occurred at a road leading to Ramkund bathing ghat. Pilgrims were coming from Tapovan towards River Godavari. Roads leading to the river are very narrow.
Giving details of the incident, he said that the pilgrims had crowded at the Sardar Chowk here in the narrow by-lanes leading to Ramkund for a holy dip.
"Everybody wanted to reach Ramkund at the earliest," Mishra said when asked about the cause of the stampede.
City Police Commissioner P T Lohar stated that after the `shahi snan` (royal bath) by sadhus and mahants, there was a surge of pilgrims at the Sardar Chowk.
Some sadhus, according to Lohar, threw silver coins or toffees, which the pilgrims rushed to collect leading to the stampede.
Throwing light on the incident Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minster Chhagan Bhujbal said the pilgrims wanted to divert from the regulated path and broke barricades. This led to chaos.
Bhujbal has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
The Deputy Chief Minister announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to kin next of killed and Rs 50,000 each for the injured. He said the situation at the Kumbh site was being under control.
45 lakh people have converged at Nasik to particpate at the Kumbh. Bureau Report