Bihar Dasara stampede toll rises to 33

Patna: With one more person succumbing to injuries, the toll in the stampede outside the sprawling Gandhi Maidan here after the Dasara celebrations has climbed to 33.

Principal Secretary Home Amir Subhani told PTI that one more person died on Saturday, taking the toll to 33. Twenty-nine others were injured of whom the condition of four patients was stated to be critical, Subhani said.

The tragedy struck around 7 pm on Friday at the South East corner of the ground near the Exhibition road when the people who were returning after watching the "Ravana Vadh" (killing of demon king) event jostled one another to move ahead, eyewitnesses and officials said.

Tens of thousands of people had gathered to watch the annual event at the historic Gandhi Maidan where several pockets were reportedly dimly lit when the stampede broke out. Opposition BJP has criticised the Jitan Ram Manjhi government for the "lapses" that resulted in the tragedy. Patna district administration denied lapses and said the tragedy "seems to be result of suffocation" due to the huge gathering of people for Dasara celebrations.