40 killed, 100 injured

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, APRIL 1. At least 40 people were killed and 100 injured in a stampede outside the thirteenth century shrine in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

The tragedy took place on Saturday as thousands of people who had gathered outside the shrine ran over each other the moment the Bahishti Darwaza (Gate to Heaven) was opened to mark the inauguration of the Urs.

The Bahishti Darwaza at the shrine of Hazrat Baba Ganj-i-Shakar is opened every year to pilgrims. The gate leads to the grave of the great Sufi saint-poet, Khwaja Sheikh Masud Farid-ud-din Ganj- i-Shakar (1175-1265), popularly known as Baba Farid.

The fifth of Muharram marks the celebrations at the grave of Baba Farid and the opening of the gate marks the beginning of the festival, which follows for the next two days.

Every year an estimated five lakh people take part in the religious rituals marking the anniversary of the death of Baba Farid. Media reports said that at least one-lakh devotees were waiting outside the shrine when the stampede took place.

Delay on the part of the organisers in opening of the gate and the mad rush on the part of the devotees through a narrow lane meant for shrine officials resulted in the stampede and the consequent deaths.

A spokesman for the shrine, Mr. Abdul Zahir, has blamed the magistrates on duty for the negligence. He has been quoted as saying that had the administration taken proper measures to control the crowd, the tragedy could have been averted.

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Section  : International
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