Fourteen people, some
of them children, were killed and 10
injured in a stampede that broke out as
food was being distributed at a
mosque in China’s Ningxia region, state
media reported Monday.
The stampede occurred at lunchtime
on Sunday while traditional food items
were being handed out to people
attending an event to commemorate a
late religious leader, the official Xinhua
news agency said, citing the local
government.
The injured were hospitalised, with
four in critical condition, the brief
report said.
One photo posted online by Chinese
news outlets showed six bodies laid out
side-by-side inside a building, with
several children in colourful outfits
among the dead.
“Those poor children,” wrote one
poster.
Ningxia is one of China’s poorer
regions, and other Internet users
lamented its poverty.
“Are Chinese people so poor, for all
this to happen over a piece of pastry?”
asked one poster on Sina Weibo, a
Chinese equivalent of Twitter.
Another added: “The Chinese people’s
living conditions are so poor that they
will do this for a few free cakes!
Murder caused by a pie!”
Some Internet users displayed images
of red candles online to commemorate
those who died.
Others wondered what might have
triggered such a large stampede. “It
must be thoroughly investigated,” said
one.
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/14-killed-china-mosque-stampede/