Woman killed, 15 hurt in stampede at wedding

The wedding feast was organsied at a pandal erected in the open space outside the school while the food was being prepared in the verandah of the school. Just as the first round meals got over, it started raining. Invitees of both the families took shelter in the verandah where puris were being fried in a huge kadhai kept over a gas stove. One of the guests stepped over the rubber pipe of the gas cylinder and tore the tube from the nozzle of the cylinder. Since the stove was burning, the gas coming out of the nozzle immediately caught fire and with a loud noise the gas from the cylinder caught flame.

People standing close to the cylinder panicked anticipating an explosion and started running towards the exit. The situation grew panicky and all the guests ran to get out of the only narrow exit of the verandah. As a result a stampede occurred. Jyoti (30), a resident of Bangladesh locality, was killed in the ensuing melee.

The groom and the bride, fortunately, escaped unhurt. All the injured have been admitted to Mayo Hospital and most are out of danger. Jaripatka police have registered a case of accident and further investigations are in progress.