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ramonmercado Psycho Punk
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Total posts: 17933 Location: Dublin Gender: Male |
 Posted: 20-05-2013 12:41 Post subject: Religious Stampedes |
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Stampedes have taken place in the past at Hindu, Islamic and perhaps other religious gatherings. Its unlikely that this will be the last such case; hence the need for this thread.
| Quote: | Ghana stampede kills four at at TB Joshua's church
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22595573
Some of the wounded are in a critical condition in hospital
Police say they were overwhelmed by the large crowd when a stampede killed four people at a church in Ghana's capital, Accra, on Sunday.
Thousands of people flocked to the evangelical church for "holy water", which they believed had healing powers, leading to the crush.
"All of us were caught by surprise. No-one knew the crowd will be so huge," said police spokesman Freeman Tetteh.
The church is run by prominent Nigerian preacher TB Joshua.
He is one of the wealthiest and most popular evangelical clerics in Africa and his Synagogue Church of All Nations claims it can perform miracles, such as curing blindness.
'Devastated'
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
People from the back, they pushed... and they fell on us”
Gertrude Sumbamala
Survivor
Mr Tetteh told the BBC's Newsday programme there was a larger than expected crowd at the service after church officials announced that "holy water" would be given to worshippers.
"The church was also caught by surprise... Nobody can apportion blame [at this stage]," he said.
"We need to investigate and establish responsibility."
Some of the wounded were in a critical condition in hospital, Mr Tetteh said.
The stampede took place when people at the back of the church began to push to get to the altar, AFP news agency reports.
"The crowd surged forward and became uncontrollable," Mr Tetteh told the BBC.
One worshipper, Gertrude Sumbamala said she had suffered a broken leg after being caught up in the stampede, AFP reports.
"People from the back, they pushed... and they fell on us. So we were battered by a lot of forces," Ms Sumbamala is quoted as saying.
The church's Rev Sam McCaanan told local radio station Citi News that the stampede was regrettable.
"We are devastated, it's very unfortunate and we are very sorry," he is quoted as saying. |
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| Mythopoeika Boring petty conservative
Joined: 18 Sep 2001 Total posts: 9109 Location: Not far from Bedford Gender: Unknown |
| Posted: 20-05-2013 21:40 Post subject: |
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| Stampeding...like cattle.... |
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| ramonmercado Psycho Punk
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Total posts: 17933 Location: Dublin Gender: Male |
| Posted: 20-05-2013 22:49 Post subject: |
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| Mythopoeika wrote: | | Stampeding...like cattle.... |
Papal Bulls & Sacred Cows. |
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| ramonmercado Psycho Punk
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Total posts: 17933 Location: Dublin Gender: Male |
| Posted: 13-10-2013 13:38 Post subject: |
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| Quote: | India temple stampede in Madhya Pradesh 'kills 60'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-24512150
Timeline: Deadliest stampedes
At least 60 pilgrims have been killed in a stampede near a Hindu temple in central India, police have said.
Thousands had gathered at the Ratangarh temple, about 60km (37 miles) from Datia town in Madhya Pradesh state, for a religious festival.
Panic broke out as crowds of pilgrims tried to cross a bridge on the Sindh river, near the shrine.
Most of the victims were killed in the stampede, while others drowned after jumping off the bridge.
Local devotee Atul Chaudhary, who survived the crush, told BBC Hindi there were a couple of thousand people on the bridge.
Continue reading the main story
Analysis
image of Anbarasan Ethirajan
Anbarasan Ethirajan
BBC News
Deadly stampedes are common during India's often chaotic religious festivals. Most of the incidents are blamed on poor crowd control techniques and planning by the authorities.
Indian religious festivals often attract hundreds of thousands of people, sometimes even millions as in the case of the Kumbh Mela festival in Uttar Pradesh. It's a challenge for the authorities to build tents, erect makeshift bridges, and install sanitation facilities. Often there are few first aid or medical facilities.
The Indian bureaucracy and security forces are ill-equipped and too under-staffed to manage such mega events. Pilgrims are sometimes in a hurry to finish their prayers and get home early. On occasions rumours of an accident or a bridge collapse have also triggered stampedes. Repeated accidents of this kind only show that no lessons have been learnt.
He heard screams, and people began rushing to get off the bridge.
"Several people could be seen flattened to the ground in the midst of the melee," he said.
"Some of the youngsters panicked and jumped into the swollen river.
"I and my friends were close to the exit point and along with several others ran for safety. Scores of others were not so lucky."
Local police chief DK Arya told local media that the stampede was probably sparked by a rumour that the bridge could collapse.
Other reports suggested that police used batons to control the crowd.
The narrow bridge is about 500m long, and had only recently been rebuilt following another stampede in 2007.
Mr Arya said at least 60 people had been killed, and about 100 wounded people had been taken to a hospital in Datia.
Emergency crews and specialist divers were still searching the river for bodies.
Local official Sanket Bhondve said the immediate priority was to provide relief to those injured.
The accident happened at about 09:00 (03:30 GMT), but information was slow to emerge because the temple is in a remote area with erratic mobile-phone coverage.
Hindu festivals in India are notorious for deadly stampedes.
In the past year, dozens have died in three similar tragedies.
In 2011 more than 100 died at a festival in the southern state of Kerala.
Inside Jodhpur's Mehrangarh Fort, more than 220 people were killed in 2008 in a stampede at the Chamunda Devi Hindu temple. |
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