KOCHUBERIA -- At least six people were killed and 15 others suffered grievous injuries on Sunday during a stampede that took place in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas area.
The stampede took place near Gangasagar on jetty number 5 of Kachuberia area where the devotees had gathered to take a holy dip at the Ganga River during Makar Sankratni festival.
The holy dip is taken at the Gangasagar Mela every year when the river Ganga merges into the Bay of Bengal Sea during Makar Sankranti at Sagardwip.
District officials said two pilgrims died on the spot and three, including the woman in the hospital.
The stampede occured at around 6 pm when there was a huge rush of pilgrims to board vessels to reach Kolkata, the officials said adding all of them were middle aged and are yet to be identified.
A search has been launched by naval divers to find out anybody who might have fallen into Buriganga river during the stampede, they added.
A total 16 lakh pilgrims took their holy dip in two days on the occasion of Makar Sankranti at Ganga Sagar, West Bengal Public Health Engineering and Rural Development Minister Subrata Mukherjee said.
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