Several people received serious injuries after a stamped situation triggered during the Indian Territorial Army recruitment drive in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district on Wednesday, November 20. According to the information, over 20,000 unemployed youths attended the drive to seek a job in the Territorial Army.
According to the ETV Bharat report, the crowd of applicants broke the entrance gate and crashed into the building apartment, leading to a chaotic situation. Local police on the site were forced to lathi-charged to control the crowd, which triggered a stampede. Several footwear and torn bags were found on the ground at the site.
Stampede-Like Situation In Pithoragarh During Army Recruitment Drive
Many applicants were injured, and two received serious wounds and were shifted to the nearby hospital for treatment of their injuries. Pithoragarh Subrident of Police (SP), Rekha Yadav, said that the situation went out of control as a large number of candidates had turned up at the site on the first day.
"The candidates tried to enter the premises forcefully and some people were slightly injured in the incident. Those injured were released from the hospital after first-aid. The police and administration teams controlled the crowd. People have been urged not to fall prey to any kind of instigation or rumours," Rekha Yadav added.
The Territorial Army recruitment drive is being held in Pithoragarh from November 20 to 27. Additional state roadway buses are being operated to transport the candidates to and from Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand. With no shelter or transport, many slept on the streets and hills. Some were seen travelling in bus luggage compartments. Emergency measures like shelters and community kitchens were set up to deal with the surge.