Six killed in stampede-like incident at Indian temple

At least six devotees were killed and 12 injured in a stampede-like incident at the Ashok Dham temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai district on Monday. The incident occurred during the auspicious third sombari of the Shravan month of the Hindu calendar.

Officials are investigating the exact cause, with initial reports suggesting a falling electricity pole may have caused panic among the large crowd of worshippers. Lakhisarai district magistrate Shailendra Kumar stated that youngsters attempted to force their way through a queue, breaking barricades and causing women in the queue to fall on each other. He also noted that some injured individuals had fallen sick due to extreme humidity and suffocation in the overcrowded conditions.

Witnesses, however, blamed the lack of crowd management for the stampede, estimating that around 50,000 people had gathered at the temple. Eyewitnesses reported that rumors of an electric current in a pole spread panic, leading to a rush. A police officer confirmed that the crowd grew restless and began to jostle, but the situation was soon brought under control.

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed grief over the incident, describing it as heart-wrenching. He extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and issued directives for the immediate medical treatment of those injured.

This incident is the latest in a series of stampedes at religious gatherings in India, including a recent one during the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha and previous events at the Kumbh Mela and the Vaishno Devi temple.