Patna, August 17: A tragic incident occurred near the renowned Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai, Bihar, on Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least seven devotees and injuring around ten others. The stampede was triggered by an unexpected surge in crowd numbers during the Sawan festival.
Eyewitnesses reported that chaos erupted when an electric pole fell outside the temple, leading to rumors of an electric shock spreading among the gathered devotees. This caused widespread panic and ultimately resulted in the stampede.
In response to the incident, local authorities and rescue teams quickly mobilized to provide assistance. The injured were promptly transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Lakhisarai District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar stated that administrative officials had been present at the site since around 3:30 PM, working to manage the crowd. He noted that the number of devotees surged unexpectedly, particularly between 6:30 PM and 6:45 PM, coinciding with the arrival of two trains, which further increased the crowd size.
The District Magistrate also confirmed that ambulances had been pre-arranged by the police and health department, including Toto and motorcycle ambulances. However, during the surge towards the fields around 6:40 PM, a section of the barricading collapsed, causing people to fall on top of one another. Immediate action was taken to send approximately ten individuals to the hospital via ambulance.
Addressing concerns about the presence of administrative officials at the scene, the District Magistrate emphasized that the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) and other officials were on-site. He added that the Civil Surgeon was personally overseeing the treatment of the injured, with a medical team actively engaged in providing care.
SDPO Shivam Kumar confirmed the death toll of seven devotees and reiterated that the stampede was caused by the falling electric pole and the ensuing panic over potential electric shock. He stated that a thorough investigation would clarify the exact cause of the incident. Importantly, the stampede occurred outside the temple rather than inside. Following the incident, the situation has returned to normal, with devotees peacefully performing rituals at the temple. Authorities are conducting a comprehensive investigation into the events surrounding the tragedy.
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