Bihar Tragedy: Stampede At Maa Sheetla Mandir In Nalanda 8 Women Feared Dead

(MENAFN- Live Mint) At least eight women lost their lives and several others sustained injuries on Tuesday after a stampede-like situatio broke out during a religious congregation at the Sheetla Temple in Nalanda district, Bihar. The tragedy unfolded as an exceptionally large number of devotees converged on the temple premises for worship, creating conditions of severe overcrowding that ultimately proved fatal for those caught in the crush.

The incident has prompted the immediate deployment of relief and rescue personnel at the site, with operations currently under way to assist the injured and restore order to the area.

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Nitish Kumar's constituency Nalanda, is also a district of considerable religious and historical significance in the state of Bihar, has seen such gatherings draw substantial crowds, particularly during auspicious occasions. Authorities have yet to issue a full accounting of the circumstances that led to the overcrowding, or whether adequate crowd management measures had been in place ahead of the event.

The death toll, which currently stands at eight, may yet rise as rescue operations continue and the condition of the injured is assessed.

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Mamata Devi, a devotee, says, "It is always crowded here on Tuesday. People come for Sheetla Mata's darshan. We too have come from Patna for darshan. But a stampede broke out, and people died. It happened due to mismanagement...An ambulance has reached here. It is so crowded here. Administration is not here."

A devotee breaks down as she recounts the stampede at Maa Sheetla Mandir. "There was a massive crowd. Four of us had come from Patna. We got separated from each other. People were trampled on..."

Bihar Sharif Assistant Superintendent of Police Noorul Haque said, "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."

The exact cause of the stampede is not known, but there was a huge rush of devotees, said Haque, who was also present at the spot.

The stampede occurred at a weekly fair, which was being held at the Sheetla Mata Temple today due to the overcrowding at the site. People were seen running helter-skelter in a desperate bid to save their lives, with the police force actively engaged to bring the crowd under control.

Devotees present at the scene have stated that the incident occurred due to an insufficient deployment of police personnel.

Bihar Dy CM Samrat Choudhary assures support

Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of victims who lost their lives due to a stampede at the Sheetla Mata Temple in Nalanda and assured government support to them.

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In a post on X, the Bihar Deputy CM assured that proper arrangements have been made to ensure treatment of the injured individuals.

"The tragic stampede incident at the Mata Sheetla Temple in Nalanda is extremely heartbreaking. I express my condolences to the families of all the devotees who lost their lives and were injured in this accident. The government is providing every possible assistance and relief to the affected families. Arrangements have been made for the proper treatment of the injured. May God grant peace to the departed souls and provide strength to the grieving families during this hour of sorrow. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured," he wrote.

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