Rajahmundry: At least 27 pilgrims, 13 of them women, died and 20 others injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of ‘Pushkaram’ festival here today.

A major religious event held once in 12 years, hundreds of people drawn from different parts of the state had converged on the river bank to take dip in the river on the auspicious occasion.

The tragedy struck between 7.30 AM and 8 AM and most of the victims were elderly people.

Rajahmundry Sub-Collector Vijaya Ramaraju said the bodies had been shifted to Rajahmundry Government Hospital and the injured taken to a nearby hospital.

“So far 27 have died …most of the dead are elderly women,” Ramaraju said.

The victims had been waiting since early hours and some of them were tired as they had travelled long distances to reach here.

The official said there is a possibility that the deaths were caused due to suffocation.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who was on the spot to take the holy dip, expressed profound grief at the tragedy and is personally monitoring relief and rescue operations.

A visibly disturbed Naidu, monitoring the situation from the control room, said, “This is very unfortunate and shocking. I have come here many times to review arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the event. But some problems cropped up in execution.”

The Chief Minister also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the family of the deceased and said, if necessary, he would would remain in Rajahmundry for the next 11 days.

Earlier in the day, Naidu, accompanied by his wife and son, had taken the holy dip, where the river is full in its expanse.

Godavari ‘Pushkaram’, the ritual of taking holy dip in the river, is observed once in 12 years, but this time it is considered auspicious from astronomical point of view as it is ‘Maha Pushkaralu’ which comes once in 144 years.

Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayandra Sarswathi was among the spiritual leaders who took the sacred bath.

The ‘Pushakaram’ is a similar to the ‘Kumbh Mela’ performed alongside rivers elsewhere in the country and taking holy dip is the main ritual of the religious event.

(PTI)