Srinagar, Jan 1 (PTI) The National Conference (NC) on Saturday expressed grief over the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and sought a thorough inquiry into the incident in which at least 12 people were killed.

The party also demanded that the administration ensure the best medical treatment for the injured.

Also Read | Tamil Nadu Shocker: 47-Year-Old Man Sexually Assaults Minor Daughter Under Influence Of Alcohol In Villupuram District, Arrested.

Sixteen people were injured in the stampede that occurred at 2.15 am on Saturday near a relatively narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the hilltop shrine where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking from the Katra base camp, a distance of nearly 13 km.

According to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the incident took place due to a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims.

Also Read | Sulli Deals 2.0: GitHub App 'Bulli Bai' Targets Muslim Women, Shares Pictures of Journalists, Social Workers, Students, Famous Personalities.

In a statement, the NC said party president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah expressed grief and anguish over the deaths of 12 pilgrims in the stampede and asked the government to intensify the relief efforts for the injured.

The duo conveyed their condolences to the family members of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to the injured, the party said.

The NC leaders also sought a thorough inquiry into the unfortunate incident and asked the administration to ensure the best medical treatment for the injured, the statement said.

NC provincial president, Jammu, Rattan Lal Gupta also expressed grief over the stampede.

In a statement, Gupta expressed sympathies with the bereaved families, prayed for peace to the departed souls and speedy recovery of the injured.

He blamed the administration and the management of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for "failing" to regulate the pilgrimage.

The yatra should have been regulated at the base camp at Katra itself to ensure regulated movement of pilgrims, Gupta said.

A high-level inquiry panel headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra, with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its members, has been set up by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and asked to submit its report within a week.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)