Jodhpur Muslims won\'t celebrate Eid after temple stampede

Jodhpur: Tuesday marked an inauspicious start to the festive season when 130 devotees were killed in a stampede at the Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur, a popular religious and tourist destination in Rajasthan.Rajasthan on Wednesday observed state mourning as a mark of respect to the devotees who lost their lives during the stamped.The national flag atop Government buildings and installations flew at half mast throughout the state and no entertainment programme at official level was held anywhere.Expressing their grief on the incident, Jodhpur Muslim youth have also decided that they won't celebrate Eid on October 2 and will prefer to mourn the death of those killed in the stampede.They feel that the tragedy that struck at the Chamunda Devi temple on Tuesday doesn\'t warrant any celebration.According to the reports, locals rushed to the spot to help with rescue operation and take the injured to the hospital and a day later the city is mourning.And this section of locals have put up posters appealing to others in their community not to celebrate on Thursday.\"We will only be offering Namaz. We have decided not to celebrate Id,\" says one of the Jodhpur Muslim youths, who believe that Eid shouldn\'t be celebrated after the stampede, Shakir Ali.At least 130 people were crushed to death and more than 450 injured in a stampede caused by a rush of devotees at the Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur, Rajasthan on Tuesday.Thousands of pilgrims had gathered along the two-km-long slope to the temple to mark the beginning of the Navratra festival.Then, as eyewitnesses say, there was a scramble in the men\'s queue, some devotees slipped and soon, it turned out into a massive stampede within minutes.The disaster took place around 0600 hrs (IST), less than three hours after the historic Chamunda Mata temple opened for prayers on the occasion of Navaratri festival.No medical help was available and the pilgrims had to reportedly carry the injured themselves. Some even attempted to resuscitate the unconscious victims.A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

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