Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed deep anguish over the loss of lives during a stampede at a Halloween event in South Korea's Seoul on Saturday night. A tweet posted by the Indian embassy in South Korea said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his letter to Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has expressed deep anguish at the tragic loss of lives at yesterday's stampede incident in Seoul.” The embassy added that PM Modi also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the friends and families who lost their loved ones.
Before the Prime Minister, foreign minister S Jaishankar on Sunday condoled the loss of lives at the Halloween stampede in Seoul. "Our condolences to the families of those who lost their dear ones. We stand in solidarity with the Republic of Korea during this difficult time,” Jaishankar tweeted on Sunday.
A total of 153 people have been killed and 133 have been injured in the stampede at the Itaewon area in Seoul so far.
{{/usCountry}}A total of 153 people have been killed and 133 have been injured in the stampede at the Itaewon area in Seoul so far.
{{/usCountry}}On Saturday night, an estimated 100,000 people had gathered in Itaewon for the country’s biggest outdoor Halloween festivities since the onset of the Covid pandemic. The stampede occurred as the crowd surged into a narrow alley, trapping and crushing a mass of people. Most of the participants in the Halloween event were in their teens or twenties.
South Korea's foreign minister said on Sunday that the deceased included at least 26 foreign nationals from 14 countries. On Monday, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo promised a thorough investigation into the stampede. Han added that his government would make necessary changes to prevent such an accident from happening again, news agency Reuters reported.