Varanasi, July 22: A woman died of suffocation at the heavily crowded Dasaswamedh ghat here this morning triggering a stampede that left 13 others injured in the holy city where thousands had gathered on the occasion of solar eclipse.
District Magistrate Ajay Kumar Upadhaya said an 80-year-old woman collapsed due to the heavy rush of devotees at the ghat while another woman fainted following which people panicked and started running helter-skelter.
In the melee, thirteen people were injured, police said. An estimated 60,000-70,000 people had gathered at the ghat to take the dip, they said.
The stampede occurred due to the heavy rush of pilgrims at the ghat, DIG P C Meena said.
The injured have been rushed to hospitals.
–PTI