20 injured in stampede at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K

At least 20 people were injured in a stampede, triggered by heavy rush of devotees on New Year's Day, at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

The stampede happened shortly after midnight.

Senior officials and shrine board representatives are on the spot.

Hospital and police sources said at least 20 people were injured in the stampede and were taken to hospitals, including Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality hospital, and the condition of some of the injured was stated to be “serious”.