At least eight women have died and around 10 people were injured in a stampede at the Sheetla temple in Bihar’s Nalanda district, with authorities ordering an inquiry and the death toll feared to rise as some injured remain in critical condition.
PATNA: At least eight women have lost their lives and around 10 others have been injured after a stampede broke out at a temple in the eastern Indian state of Bihar on Tuesday morning, in a tragedy that has sent shockwaves through the local community.
The stampede occurred at Sheetla temple in the Deepnagar area of Nalanda district at around 10.00am local time, according to a local police officer. The circumstances that triggered the crush have not yet been officially confirmed, but the incident unfolded during what appears to have been a period of heavy footfall at the religious site.
Video footage that circulated widely on social media showed injured women being rushed to a nearby hospital, with scenes of panic and distress at the scene. The images underscored the speed and severity with which the situation unfolded.
Authorities have expressed concern that the death toll may rise further, with some of the injured reported to be in a critical condition and receiving treatment at local medical facilities. The situation is being closely monitored.
A formal inquiry has been ordered to investigate the circumstances of the stampede, determine what led to the deadly crush, and establish whether failures in crowd management or safety protocols contributed to the tragedy.
Stampedes at religious gatherings in India have claimed hundreds of lives over the years, with overcrowding at temples, festivals, and pilgrimage sites repeatedly identified as a critical safety concern. Each incident renews calls for stricter crowd management measures and better infrastructure at religious sites that attract large numbers of devotees, particularly during auspicious periods in the religious calendar.
The families of the victims and the injured are in the thoughts of the wider community as Bihar comes to terms with a deeply painful morning.
