KOLKATA: In an unfortunate incident at least six persons allegedly died on Sunday morning in a stampede on jetty 5 in Kachuberia in Sagar Islands in South 24 Parganas. Some persons were also reportedly injured in the stampede as they were rushing to board a vessel.
However, the state government has denied any such incidents of stampede and attributed the deaths to heart attack. and excessive cold.
“Last night, some pilgrims including women had fallen sick after taking the holy dip on the day of Makar Sankranti.while they were returning from the site of Ganga Sagar Mela. The sick persons were admitted at camp hospital near Kachuberia and were attended by a team of doctors. Most of them were treated and discharged. However, unfortunately six of them all aged persons and mostly women died early in the morning,” minister of state Sunderban Development Manturam Pakhira said.
District magistrate South 24 Parganas, P.B. Salim said that apart from the six deaths at Kachuberia, two persons have died in Sagar Islands and one at Namkhana since Satu-rday,” Mr. Salim said.
