Rajasthan observes state mourning for stampede victims

Jodhpur, Oct 1 (UNI) Rajasthan today observed state mourning as a mark of respect to 147 devotees who lost their lives during a stampede in Chamunda Temple at Mehrangarh here yesterday.

The national flag atop government buildings and installations flew at half mast throughout the state and no entertainment programme at official level was held anywhere.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, BJP stalwart and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh, who held Jodhpur Lok Sabha seat once in 1989, and a three-member Congress inquiry committee visited the town to take stock of the situation at the Temple.

They also met the injured admitted to hospitals after the mishap.

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to visit Jodhpur to have first-hand information about the stampede.

An official spokesman in Jaipur said Mr Gandhi was scheduled to reach Jodhpur from New Delhi this afternoon.

He is expected to visit the Temple and the injured, the spokesman added.

UNI SS ARB AS1535