Temple tragedy casts pall of gloom

Jodhpur, Sep 30 (UNI) A pall of gloom descended in the Suncity of Jodhpur following tragic deaths of around 150 people, mostly youths, in the Chamunda Temple stampede tragedy today.

Emotionally charged scenes were witnessed with relatives and friends either grieving for the dead, attending the injured or performing the last rites at cremation grounds.

All eyes were moist in the Kalal Mohalla which lost as many as 20 people in the tragedy. A number of families in this old city locality lost more than one of their dear ones.

Milkmen Colony on the new Pal Road civilisation also bore the brunt of the incident losing five lives.

A Mathura Das Mathur Hopsital Help Line Worker Dinsh Joshi said a family of the new Pal Road colony lost five of its members. Joshi himself lost his cousin in the stampede.

An unusual rush at the cremation grounds with around a dozen funeral pyres lit almost simulaneously was again a reminder of the gory tragedy. The Kaga, Kaka Pahadi and Shivaji gate cremation grounds also witnessed heavy rush of funeral processions.

A tearful Jodhpur Mayor Om Kumari Gehlot said it was a black day in the history of the Suncity which had lost so many sons of soil in one tragedy.

Scion of Jodhpur royal family Gaj Singh also went to the Chamunda Mata Temple after the incident along with the family and performed special worship for peace of the departed souls.

The tragedy also brought forth the bright face of the humanity with a number of locals coming forward to put untiring efforts to assist administration in shifting victims from the site to hospitals or attending to the medical needs of the injured at the hospitals.

Several groups of youths were seen working tirelessly till late evening to help the victims and their families.

Not to lag behind the taxi drivers and owners also played a role in shifting victims to hospitals. They volunteered their vehicles for transportation of the victims and their relatives.

Several social groups and/or outfits in the city, meanwhile, have put off cultural programmes and functions like Garba, which were scheduled at various places on the occasion of Navratra.

UNI SS SB KN2116