At least 12 pilgrims died, and many more were injured in a stampede at a Hindu shrine in Kashmir, India, on Saturday morning, according to police.
“Twelve pilgrims died and 14 were injured in a stampede in the early morning today at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine,” said senior police officer, Mukesh Singh.
All of the injured have been hospitalized, he said.
The stampede broke out when a huge crowd of devotees, who had come to mark the beginning of the New Year, entered the Vaishno Devi Bhawan shrine, another official said.
“Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a condolence message.
The official said that a high-level inquiry has been ordered.
The ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump between Iran and Israel appeared to be holding on Wednesday a day after both countries signalled that their air war had ended, at least for now.
The Ministerial Council of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has denounced the Iranian missile attacks on the Al Udeid air base in Qatar, describing it as a "blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty", during an "extraordinary meeting" in Doha.
Astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary have embarked on a two-week science research mission early Wednesday, marking a return to human spaceflight after more than 40 years and the first mission to the International Space Station.
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