Probing the stampede over the Godavari ghats

News Details: AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is distraught over stampede today morning at Kotagummam Ghat at Godavari Pushkarams.

Unconfirmed reports put the toll at 35. You can not bring the visiting devotees as witnesses. The festival was last held in 2003.

Boat tourism on river Godavari will be developed further and works will commence for developing parks in the surrounding areas, he said. Around 30 companies of security forces, including Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have been deployed for security purposes. East Godavari District Collector H Arun Kumar said pilgrims were being “evenly” diverted to various ghats and there is now no pressure at any particular point. Volunteers will personally interact with pilgrims and also make calls based on data available from cellphone towers around the ghats to collect feedback.

Chief Minister Naidu, at noon, was in a police control room to oversee the arrangements for the massive rush of devotees.

The Prime Minister tweeted expressing his condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers to the injured.

The chief minister has decided to camp in the town for the next 11 days of the festival, cancelling a scheduled visit to Delhi today. 10 lakh each to the kin of those who were killed in the stampede.

But Naidu’s rivals slammed him.

With focus on Pushkar Ghat number one here and the other ones not in limelight, tens of thousands of people had thronged yesterday and once this crowd was let out suddenly after VIPs took holy dip and performed puja, there was a stampede resulting in the tragedy. Sorry to hear the sad incident of stampede at Maha Pushkaram.

Swami Swaroopananda, a seer who had arrived from Visakhapantam, dismissed notions of the “most auspicious” time for the dip and said the deaths could have been avoided.

It was chosen as the primary venue for the once in 144 year event as the River Godavari is full in its expanse at this place.