Patna: The toll in a stampede after the burning of the Ravana effigy at the Gandhi Maidan here rose to 33 on Saturday morning after the death of a child.
Meanwhile, union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan will visit Bihar's capital today to take stock of the situation.
Both the ministers had on Friday sought to blame the Bihar government over the incident, saying it failed to learn from the past and put in place measures to prevent the tragedy.
Thirty two people, including women and children, had died in the stampede that took place last evening. Police said at least 25 people are seriously injured.
Additional Director General of Police Gupteshwar Pandey said that a probe into the cause of the stampede has begun.
Meanwhile, a group of slogan shouting, angry people protested at the Ramghulam square near Gandhi Maidan today. They attacked and damaged half a dozen vehicles. Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse them.
Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi had visited the hospital where the injured are being treated late Friday.
According to officials of the district administration, the stampede was result of the rumours that a live high tension wire had fallen on the road near the gate of the Gandhi Maidan.
Patna District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said that authorities are trying to save the lives of all those seriously injured, who have been admitted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital.
The state government has announced compensation of Rs 3 lakh each to the kin of all the victims. It has also ordered a probe into the incident.
"The government has asked Home Secretary Amir Subhani and ADG Pandey to investigate into the incident, particularly the cause of the stampede," said an official in the chief minister's office.
Subhani and Pandey have been directed to complete the investigation and submit the report within 24 hours.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to know about the incident and asked him to provide all possible treatment to injured.
Earlier, reports said that half a dozen people had fainted at the event due to over-crowding at the Gandhi Maidan.
(With IANS inputs)
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