At least 33 people, mostly women and children, were killed and 28 injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna during Dussehra celebrations on Friday evening.
The incident took place following a rumour after “Ravan Vadh” that a live electric wire had dropped on the ground; people started rushing towards gates and in course horrible stampede occurred.
Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manji was present at the venue at Gandhi Maidan during the celebrations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to 
him and sanctioned Rs 2 lakh each for deceased.
The Home ministry also sought report from Bihar Government on this incident.
Meanwhile Patna district Magistrate today denied security lapses and said the tragedy happened due to “suffocation”.
“People appear to have died due to suffocation,” District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma told reporters.
Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj also supported DM’s version and said, “CCTV footage shows movement of a huge mass of people and there is no clear picture of stampede visible in the footage the incident (the deaths) seems to have happened due to suffocation.”
“Some people are seen falling and others picking them up, light was dim as the high mast light was not functioning near Ramgulam chowk… CCTV footage due to poor light is not conclusive,” Manu Maharaj told reporters.
“We are also checking how far the falling of an electric wire or a ditch in which the feet of some people were trapped caused panic among crowd are true,” Maharaj said adding, “Gates were not closed. All the four gates including the one for VIPs were open… This can be seen in CCTV footage which cannot lie.”
Tags: Bihar Patna Patna stampede
