18 people were killed and over 40 injured in a stampede as thousands of mourners converged to pay their last respects to the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community Syedna Burhanuddin in upscale Malabar Hill in the wee hours today, in worst such tragedy in the metropolis.
Those killed included two minors and five senior citizens. Most of them died due to suffocation, police said.
The incident occurred as a huge crowd gathered at the residence of Syedna, who had died yesterday aged 102 after a cardic arrest.
Lakhs of his followers joined the final journey of the spiritual leader, who was laid to rest at Raudat Tahera mausoleum here at Bhendi Bazar. His son and successor, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin led the Namaz-e-Janaza, the prayer for the departed soul.
The body was placed in a flower-adorned casket draped with the national flag atop a open vehicle, escorted by policemen, immediate family and community heads. People from all walks of life joined hands to form a human chain across the Road and bid a tearful adieu to the departed leader.
President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and leaders of various political parties condoled his death.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said most of the deaths occurred due to suffocation as a massive crowd of mourners got stuck in the narrow lanes and the gates to Syedna's residence 'Saifee Mahal' were closed.
"People from all parts of Mumbai and around the city came to pay their last respects around 9 last night. The roads were narrow...It led to suffocation. It was difficult for the people to breathe," he said.
"Some fell unconscious. Gates were closed because of which some people fell on each other. As the doctors are claiming, cause of the death was suffocation," he said.
