At least eight people, all women, were killed and several others injured in a stampede at the Sheetla Temple in Bihar’s Nalanda district on Tuesday morning, highlighting recurring concerns over crowd management at large religious gatherings.
The incident took place in the Deepnagar police station area at the well-known Sheetla Mata temple in Maghra village, where thousands of devotees had gathered for worship on the last Tuesday of the Chaitra month. The day traditionally draws large crowds, but this time the turnout appears to have overwhelmed local arrangements.
According to initial reports, heavy overcrowding in the temple premises led to a sudden rush, triggering a stampede-like situation in which several people were crushed. Police and local residents rushed to the spot after receiving information and launched rescue and relief operations.
Officials confirmed that at least eight women lost their lives in the incident. Two of the deceased have been identified as Rita Devi (50), wife of Dinesh Rajak from Sakunt Bihar, and Rekha Devi (45), wife of Kamlesh Prasad from Mathurapur Noorsarai. The identities of the remaining victims are yet to be officially confirmed.
Several injured devotees were shifted to a nearby Model Hospital for treatment. Authorities have not yet released an official figure for the number of injured, but local reports suggest that multiple people sustained injuries during the chaos.
Eyewitnesses and local residents pointed to severe crowding and lack of adequate management at the site. One devotee, Mamta Devi, who had come from Patna, said the situation spiralled quickly. “There is always a crowd on Tuesdays, but today it became uncontrollable. There was no proper arrangement. Suddenly, a stampede broke out and people lost their lives,” as per the report.
Visuals from the scene showed large crowds gathered within and around the temple premises, underscoring the scale of the gathering. The incident once again raises questions about preparedness and safety measures during high-footfall religious events in India.
Police said the situation is now under control and further investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the stampede and whether lapses in crowd management contributed to the tragedy. More details are awaited as authorities continue to assess the situation.
