At least eight women lost their lives in a tragic stampede at the Shitala Mata temple in Bihar’s Nalanda district on Tuesday morning, police officials confirmed. The incident occurred amid a heavy rush of devotees who had gathered at the temple, reportedly leading to chaos and overcrowding.
Authorities indicated that the exact cause of the stampede is yet to be determined. However, initial reports suggest that an unusually large number of devotees had assembled at the temple premises early in the day, possibly overwhelming the available space and crowd management arrangements.
Bihar Sharif Assistant Superintendent of Police Noorul Haque stated that the victims were all women and that several others are feared injured. “At least eight women died in the stampede at Shitala Mata temple on Tuesday morning. Police personnel and officials of the district administration have reached the spot, and the rescue work is on,” he said.
Emergency response teams were rushed to the scene shortly after the incident. Local police, along with district administration officials, have been engaged in rescue and relief operations, assisting the injured and shifting them to nearby medical facilities. Efforts are also underway to identify the deceased and inform their families.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as the crowd surged within the temple complex. Many devotees reportedly struggled to find safe exits as the situation escalated rapidly.
The district administration is expected to launch an inquiry into the incident to ascertain the sequence of events and identify any lapses in crowd control measures. Additional security arrangements are likely to be reviewed for upcoming religious gatherings to prevent such tragedies.
Stampedes at crowded religious sites have been a recurring concern in India, often highlighting gaps in planning and crowd management during peak pilgrimage periods.
Further details are awaited as authorities continue their investigation.
