43 killed in stampede for India food coupons
At least 43 people, mostly women, were killed and more than 50 hurt Sunday in a stampede for food coupons at a flood relief camp in the southern Indian city of Madras, the police said.
“Over 5,000 people rushed in as the gates of the shelter opened, causing the stampede,” S. Chandramohan, top administrator of Madras, capital of Tamil Nadu state, said in a telephone interview.
The relief center was scheduled to open at 7:30 a.m., but people gathered hours earlier, fearing there would not be enough coupons to go around.
“Suddenly it started raining heavily, and there was a mad scramble to get in,” said a witness named Dhanalakshmi. “As the lock on the main door snapped, those in the front got crushed by the jostling crowd behind them.”
Source: Herald Tribune
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