In Pics: Patna stampede that killed 33 innocent people

Patna: Facing flak for the stampede at Gandhi maidan that left 33 dead and 29 injured, Patna district administration today denied lapses and said the tragedy “seems to be result of suffocation” due to the huge gathering of people for Dusshera celebrations.“People appear to have died due to suffocation,” District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma told reporters at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH).Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj echoing him attributed the tragedy to ‘asphyxiation'. “CCTV footage shows movement of a huge mass of people and there is no clear picture of stampede visible in the footage ... The incident (the deaths) seems to have happened due to suffocation,” he said.“Some people are seen falling and others picking them up ... Light was dim as the high mast light was not functioning near Ramgulam chowk... CCTV footage due to poor light is not conclusive,” the SSP told a press conference at the PMCH principal's chamber.He denied lathicharge by police, which eyewitnesses alleged triggered the stampede and at the same time did not rule out the role of rumours as part of a ‘conspiracy' behind the tragedy.Some people are being questioned in this respect and the police was in the process of registering an FIR in the incident.“We are also checking how far the falling of an electric wire or a ditch in which the feet of some people were trapped caused panic among crowd are true,” Maharaj said. Verma dismissed allegations that the gates of Gandhi Maidan was kept closed, except for the one that opened near Ramgulam chowk.“Gates were not closed. All the four gates including the one for VIPs were open... This can be seen in CCTV footage which cannot lie,” he asserted.Asked about the poor light condition in Gandhi maidan, the DM said lighting arrangement was the responsibility of the Puja committee. He said some lights were functional while some others were not working.A blame game broke out today over the Dussehra-day stampede with opposition BJP and other party leaders holding the state government responsible for the incident even as the death toll rose to 33. While BJP accused the Jitan Ram Manjhi government of “lapses” that led to the tragedy, Union Minister and LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan trashed the inquiry ordered by the state government as an ‘eyewash” and demanded a probe by a sitting Patna High Court judge.Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Nand Kishore Yadav said, “The loss of 33 lives is due to the failure of the administration. The arrangements for Ravan Vadh ceremony at Gandhi Maidan were very slack in comparison to the crowd that attends it.”Squarely blaming the state government, senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said, “the entire administration engaged itself in seeing off the Chief Minister after the ceremony, leaving the entire crowd of lakhs of people at the mercy of God.” Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh telephoned Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi again this morning and promised all help.The Chief Minister rubbished charges of government lapses.He said four gates were open for people to go out and CCTV cameras were also fitted.One more person died today, taking the toll to 33, Principal Secretary Home Amir Subhani told PTI. 29 others were injured of whom the condition of four was stated to be critical, he said.Of the 29 injured admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), 17 are women and 12 are men, he said. Subhani, who along with Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Gupteshwar Pandey, has been appointed to inquire into the incident, said he would begin the probe with a visit to the spot at the Gandhi Maidan.Meanwhile, state Health Minister Ramdhani Singh had to face the ire of the relatives of the victims at the PMCH and had to beat a hasty retreat from the spot.As the minister came out of the hospital, a group of angry relatives of the victims thronged his car and shouted “Why are you coming here after 16 hours?”Patna District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma told reporters at Patna Medical College and Hospital, “People appear to have died due to suffocation.” Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj echoed him attributing the tragedy to ‘asphyxiation'.Eyewitnesses gave different versions for what may have led to the stampede. One was rumours spread as part of a “conspiracy” while another was snapping of a live wirefollowing a loud explosion.Officials said the cause can be ascertained only after the probe.Local residents and family members of victims of Friday's stampede at Gandhi Maidan here that claimed at least 33 lives have blamed government apathy for the incident.Angry over the death of a close relative, Manorma Devi held the government, particularly the district administration and police's failure to manage the huge crowds gathered to watch "Ravan Vadh" responsible for the incident. "Local administration, mainly police, totally failed to control the crowds after rumours spread that a live high tension wire had fallen. Many lives could have been saved if police acted in right direction" she said waiting outside the Patna Medical College and Hospital, where one of her family who was seriously injured in the stampede has been admitted for treatment."There was no proper arrangement for huge crowds, estimated to be more than 3.5 lakh. The main gates were closed, only small gates were opened for people to come out after the end of celeberation. Even poor light arrangement at the gates added to the problem," said Sunil Gupta, who was lucky to escape the stampede. According to district administration officials, rumours that a live high tension wire had fallen to the ground led to the stampede.Other local residents like Kamla Prasad and Munna Kumar, a shopkeeper of nearby, said that after people panicked due to rumours and tried to flee, hundreds of vehicles parked near the gate and roads created the hurdle and caused the stampede."It was duty of local administration and police not to allow parking of four and two wheelers at the Ramghulam square near Gandhi Maidan as it connect to Exhibition road which has been congested in view of ongoing construction of flyover. The entire stretch of Exhibition road is encroached due to construction work," they said.Additional Director General of Police Gupteshwar Pandey said a probe into the cause of the stampede has begun.Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has ordered a probe by the state home secretary Amir Subhani and Pandey.Manjhi had visited the hospital where the injured are being treated late Friday and inquired about their condition.