A stampede on the steps leading to the famous Pavagadh mountain hill temple here left 11 persons, including a four-year-old boy, dead and many others injured early on Sunday morning. This is the second major incident at the shrine after a ropeway car accident in 2003 killed seven persons. The stampede took place around 6.30 am at the most congested and steepest point of the steps just 1.5 km away from main shrine of Goddess Kali. Witnessess said the crowd climbing the steps started pushing devotees coming down and in the melee several people fell and were trampled to death. Witnesses said the steps were so overcrowded that people kept walking over victims for around 30 minutes without realising that there were bodies below their feet. Chief Minister Narendra Modi has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.After meeting relatives of the victims, Modi declared a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the family of each victim. Modi said his Government has already asked the Centre for permission to broaden the steps, but was awaiting a nod from the Forest Department and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). He also visited the injured at the hospital in Halol. Hospital Superintendent Dr R M Jitia said all 11 bodies have been handed over to relatives. While two people were discharged after first aid, two injured have been admitted to SSG hospital of Vadodara. Ashok Joshi of the Shri Kali Yuvak Mandal said their volunteers made stretchers from sacks and came down to the point where transportation was available. “However, state transport buses refused to take the bodies to hospital. Later, private jeeps helped take the bodies to hospital,” he added.
