Seven devotees lost their lives and more than a dozen others sustained injuries in a stampede at the Ashok Dham Temple in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district on Monday morning. The incident occurred around 6:45 am as a large number of people gathered to offer prayers on the third Monday of the holy Shravan month.
According to initial accounts, an electric wire snapped at the site, sparking panic among the crowd. The sudden fear, combined with the heavy rush of devotees, led to a stampede on the temple premises. Four of the deceased have been identified as Hemlata Devi, Lalita Devi, Rinku Devi and Manmala Devi. Efforts continue to identify the remaining three victims.
Lakhisarai District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar stated that arrangements had been put in place anticipating a large turnout. However, the crowd proved unprecedented, partly due to the arrival of two trains that brought additional devotees around the same time. A section of the barricading gave way under the pressure, causing people to fall over one another. Around 10 to 15 injured individuals were immediately rushed for medical care.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene near the temple entrance, where devotees pushed through a bamboo barricade on a sloping passage. Some reported that security presence appeared insufficient to manage the surge, with people from behind forcing their way forward and trampling those who had fallen.
The injured were taken to Lakhisarai Hospital for treatment, with critically injured patients referred to facilities in Patna. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary described the incident as extremely tragic and heart-wrenching. He offered condolences to the bereaved families and directed the administration to ensure prompt medical assistance for the injured. Ex-gratia assistance has also been announced for the next of kin of those who died.
Former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and prayed for the recovery of the injured. Local political leaders pointed to possible negligence related to the electricity infrastructure and the spread of rumours of electrocution as contributing factors, calling for a thorough investigation.
The Ashok Dham Temple has witnessed similar crowd-related incidents in the past, including one in August 2019 during the same holy month that left one person dead and several injured. Authorities are reviewing the circumstances of Monday’s tragedy to strengthen future crowd management measures.