Mumbai: Stampede at Navy exam centre, several feared injured

Mumbai: Several are feared injured as a stampede broke out outside INS Hamla in Malad, where a Navy recruitment drive is underway. The response to the open recruitment drive was overwhelming and the swollen crowd of recruits got out of hand, which was then handled by the local police and the Navy officials. According to reports, around 6,000 candidates showed up at the drive instead of the expected 4,000 which caused chaos. "There was a recruitment rally at INS Hamla , Malad, Mumbai this morning for Senior Secondary Recruits. We were expecting a good response from volunteers. However the response was overwhelming and crowd control created a bit of confusion (in the early hours) which was subsequently handled very efficiently by the local police and Navy officials. The recruitment drive is going on smoothly now," the Navy said in a statement. However, many recruits who were present for the drive have claimed that the required percentage for giving the exams were pushed from 50 percent to 60 percent after the numbers of men increased, which caused them to voice their concerns. The police have firmly denied charges of the use of batons on the recruits as a measure to control the situation.