BLURB-
Seven devotees were killed and around 10 injured in a stampede at Ashok Dham Temple in Bihar’s Lakhisarai, prompting an inquiry into crowd management.
LAKHISARAI
Seven devotees were killed and around 10 others were injured after a stampede broke out at Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai, Bihar, on Monday. The incident took place as a large number of devotees gathered at the temple to offer prayers and water on the third Monday of the holy month of Shravan. Most of the victims were women.
Police said panic started after people heard that an electricity pole had fallen in a nearby field. The warning spread quickly through the crowd, with people at the back shouting and others trying to move away. Women were standing in a queue about 100 metres ahead. As some devotees rushed towards the field to escape, several people fell. Those behind them continued moving forward, leading to further falls and deaths.
A district police officer said one injured person was shifted to a higher medical centre, while the remaining injured were reported to be out of danger. Police sent the bodies for post-mortem examinations and began identifying the victims. Six deceased women were identified by officials. Authorities also increased security and said the situation later returned to normal.
Officials said a large crowd had gathered after two trains arrived in Lakhisarai at nearly the same time, bringing devotees from nearby districts. Barricades outside the temple reportedly weakened under the pressure of the crowd. The administration has ordered an inquiry to determine what exactly caused the tragedy. The immediate focus remains on helping the injured, supporting families of the victims, and preventing another such incident. Further details will emerge after the official inquiry.