12 killed in temple stampede in India

Authorities in Kashmir, India on Saturday ordered a high-level probe into stampede at a known Hindu shrine that killed 12 devotees and injured 13 others, reported Xinhua, quoting officials.

The stampede broke out at around 2:45 a.m. (local time) due to a massive rush of devotees at the mountainous shrine in Katra of Resai district.

"A high-level inquiry has been ordered by the government into the stampede incident at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine that left 12 dead and 13 injured," an official of the disaster management told Xinhua.

Reports said the stampede triggered when a huge crowd of devotees (with the majority of them reportedly without permission slips) were struggling and pushing each other to pay their obeisance to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi building.

According to the police, rescue operations started immediately at the spot and all the injured have been taken to hospitals, where the condition of some was stated to be critical.

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed grief over the deaths in the stampede.

Junior minister in Indian Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said Modi was personally monitoring and keeping track of the tragic situation arising out of the stampede at the shrine. Singh said Modi has "conveyed his sympathies to bereaved families and issued instructions to provide all possible medical aid and assistance to the injured."

Singh further said he would be rushing to the shrine to supervise the situation.

"I'm immediately rushing to Katra to take stock of the situation arising out of the tragedy at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. I look forward to have a detailed discussion with the administration and report it back to Prime Minister," he writes on social media.

Kashmir government headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has announced a compensation of 13,420 U.S. dollars each to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede and 2,684 U.S. dollars to each injured.