Bengaluru: A 40-year-old woman was killed and several others injured in a stampede at a convention hall in Bamboo Bazaar on Wednesday. A group of over 5,000 people congregated at the hall, many of them had queued up the Tuesday night itself, to collect tokens for free rations being distributed by a city-based philanthropist.
The deceased has been identified as Zeenathunnisa, a resident of DJ Halli. The injured were admitted to Bowring Hospital and discharged after being administered first-aid, a senior police officer said.
According to the police, the group had gathered at the AKP Convention hall to collect tokens for next year’s Ramzan. The management was not able to control the crowd and stopped distributing tokens for a while. This infuriated the crowd and they created a ruckus, which resulted in a stampede.
Shivaji Nagar police rushed to the spot and dispersed the crowd before shifting the injured to the hospital, where Zeenathunnisa succumbed. Sensing trouble, the organisers fled the spot. Shivaji Nagar police have taken up a case of unnatural death and begun investigation.
