At least seven people were killed and several were left injured in a stampede at the Ashok Dham temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai district on Monday morning, as large crowds gathered on the third Monday of the Sawan month.
The stampede broke out during the morning aarti at the popular temple, which was packed with devotees owing to the auspicious occasion, when a sudden surge in the crowd triggered chaos, leading to the deadly crush, NDTV reported.
Visuals from the spot showed ambulances ferrying the injured and grieving relatives gathered outside a local hospital.
Relief and rescue operations were launched soon after the incident, with administrative officials rushing to the scene to manage the situation and assist the injured.
District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar told reporters that the crowd swelled far beyond expectations, with the situation worsening after two trains arrived at around 6.30-6.45 a.m., bringing an additional influx of devotees to the temple, NDTV reported.
"The crowd swelled in an unprecedented manner. Around 6.30-6.45 am, two trains came here that too added to the crowd. Arrangements were made as we had anticipated the crowd," Kumar said.
He said administration teams rushed 10-15 people to hospital immediately after the barricade collapse. Further details on the exact sequence of events and the administrative response are awaited.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.