At least 12 people were feared dead and six others injured during a stampede at a religious gathering in the Hussain Tekri shrine in Jaora, Madhya Pradesh, late on Friday. The stampede occurred as Muslim devotees gathered for Chellum, a religious occasion that follows Muharram.
The district police claimed that of the 12 bodies recovered from the spot, 10 of them died in the stampede while two were homeless people who died due to severe cold.
The incident occurred when police tried to push back devotees who attempted to enter the shrine after midnight.
The district administration has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and announced an ex gratia assistance of Rs.10,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced an ex gratia of Rs.1 lakh each to dependents of the deceased and free treatment to the injured.
