At least 22 pilgrims were killed and several injured on Tuesday in a stampede on the third day of the on-going birth centenary year celebrations of Pandit Shri Ram Sharma in Haridwar.
The southern gate of the Laljiwala camp at Gaurishankar dweep (island) near Har ki pauri broke down when the crowd jostled to attend 1551 kundi yajna at about 10.30am.
The tall claims by the administration and the organisers were all shattered, as the security volunteers of Shanti Kunj were not well trained to handle the situation.
Lakhs of devotees had come to attend the event, which was organised to celebrate the birth centenary year celebrations of Pandit Shri Ram Sharma Acharya, founder of the All World Gayatri Pariwar headed by Dr Pranav Pandya.
The wooden barricades could not support the weight of people who came from the southern gate.
At all other three gates made in north, east and west direction, people entered at normal pace but as most of them were living in camps near southern gate, the crowd became unmanageable.
The injured were admitted at the district and mela hospitals.
According to an eye witness, nearly 50 people were crushed in the stampede.
