Religion Roundup
At Least 168 Killed in Indian Temple Stampede
Associated Press
October 1, 2008
JODHPUR, India - Thousands of pilgrims panicked by false rumors of a bomb have stampeded at a Hindu temple in India, killing at least 168 people in the rush to escape.
The chaos began as the doors of the temple were being opened Tuesday for more than 12,000 people celebrating a key Hindu festival.
Devotees had broken coconuts as religious offerings, so the temple's floors were slick with coconut milk, causing pilgrims to slip and fall as they scrambled to escape. Other pilgrims had crammed a narrow path leading to the temple, leaving little room for those fleeing to escape.
Television footage showed dozens of bodies lying on the sidewalk, while nearby frantic people tried to revive unconscious devotees, slapping their faces and pressing on their chests.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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