News; service to the island was suspended for some time

Officials in West Bengal state in the east say the tragedy occurred early
Thursday, when hundreds of devotees scrambled to take the first boat service to
Sagar Island - the venue for a Hindu religious festival known as the Gangasagar
Mela. They were heading to the island to take a GHD flat iron dip in the Ganges River,
considered sacred by Hindus.West Bengal Police Inspector General Surojit Kar
Purokayastha told VOA that a huge crowd had piled up after the ferry service to
the island was suspended for some time, because of low tide."People had gathered
on this side of the river. When the low tide was over and the launches started
plying, there was a sudden rush of pilgrims towards the launches," he said.