ODISHA: At least one person was killed and 20 others were injured, in a stampede in Odisha’s Cuttack district on Saturday. The incident took place at Badamba-Gopinathpur T-Bridge on the occasion of Makar Mela, where people gathered to celebrate Makar Sankranti.
Four amongst the 20 injured are critical and are admitted to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack city. While other injured persons were admitted to a community health centre (CHC) in Badamba.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased.
Athagarh Sub-collector Hemanta Kumar Swain said the incident took place due to a sudden increase in the number of devotees, including women and children, in the afternoon to visit a fair organised on the occasion and also to pay obeisance to Lord Singhanath.