In this photo, taken on November 22, 2021, a general view shows the Vaishno Devi Shrine, one of the country’s most revered Hindu sites, near the city of Katra in the Jammu and Kashmir union area. At least 12 people died and 13 were injured in a stampede at a religious shrine in India in the early hours of Jan. 1, 2022, as thousands of pilgrims gathered to say prayers, officials said.
Vijay Mathur | AFP | Getty Images
At least 12 pilgrims died and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede on a Hindu shrine in Kashmir on Saturday morning, police said.
“Twelve pilgrims died and 14 were injured in an early morning stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine today,” said senior police officer Mukesh Singh.
All injured have been taken to hospital, he said.
The stampede broke out when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to celebrate the start of the new year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan shrine, another official said.
“Extremely saddened by the loss of life caused by a stampede on Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a message of condolence.
The official said a high-level investigation has been ordered.
