A stampede broke out on Tuesday morning at the Sheetla Mata Temple in the Nalanda district of Bihar. Nine people lost their lives in the tragedy. Eight women died on the spot after being crushed by the crowd, while one man succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
A large number of devotees had gathered at the temple on the occasion of Sheetla Ashtami, observed on the last Tuesday of the month of Chaitra. A fair was also being held at the site. Eyewitnesses stated that there were insufficient arrangements to manage the crowd.
In their haste to offer prayers, pushing and shoving ensued. Amidst the ensuing chaos, several people were crushed beneath the crowd. A large number of people also sustained injuries. Following the incident, the temple and the fair have been shut down.
Earlier today, the President attended the convocation ceremony of Nalanda University. While 2,500 security personnel from eight districts were deployed for her security, not a single police officer was deployed to manage the crowd of 10,000 people gathered at the temple.
Following the tragedy, the Patna Commissioner has been dispatched to Bihar Sharif. The Chief Minister has directed the Chief Secretary to conduct an inquiry into the incident. Rajmani, the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Deepnagar police station, has been suspended.
The state government has announced a compensation of ₹6 lakh for the dependents of the deceased. Additionally, the Central Government has announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh.
Key highlights regarding the tragedy:
Since it was the last Tuesday of the month of Chaitra, devotees had arrived from Patna and surrounding areas to offer prayers, leading to a massive surge in the crowd.
The temple premises were small, and there were no arrangements in place to control the crowd. A scramble ensued among the people to be the first to offer prayers.
Instead of forming queues, people attempted to push their way forward, creating a stampede-like situation. Consequently, several people were crushed beneath the crowd.
Eyewitnesses reported that there was also a delay in the arrival of the police and ambulances at the scene following the incident.
What Eyewitnesses Say:
Female devotees stated that this was the last Tuesday of the month of Chaitra. A fair was being held at the site, and the crowd had swelled significantly. They also noted that the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is quite small. People were jostling to get ahead of one another in a rush to offer their prayers quickly. No one was willing to wait in a queue to perform their worship.
Another devotee recounted, "No security arrangements whatsoever had been made. The temple interior was packed with a massive crowd. Not a single police officer was deployed inside. There were no provisions to divert the crowd or segregate it into separate queues. In fact, the temple priests themselves were urging people to offer their prayers hastily and exit immediately. Amidst this chaos, a woman suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed on the spot. Several people rushed to assist her and attempted to push the crowd back; it was during this moment that a stampede broke out."
**Ambulance Arrives 40 Minutes Later**
A devotee present at the temple stated, "Following the stampede, several women lay unconscious on the ground. Some were screaming in pain. People immediately alerted the police. Initially, only two or three police officers arrived. Working alongside them, the devotees moved the injured women to the side. Repeated calls were made for an ambulance. The first ambulance finally arrived approximately 40 minutes after the incident occurred, accompanied by a few senior police officers. The injured were then transported to the hospital. As we were lifting the women, it became apparent that some of them had already passed away."
**Three Major Causes of Negligence**
**1. Temple Management Failed to Make Arrangements**
Today marks the last Tuesday of the month of *Chaitra*. The Maghra Sheetla Temple witnesses a massive turnout on this specific day every year—a fact of which the temple management was well aware. Yet, despite this knowledge, no special arrangements were made to manage or organize the crowd. Not even basic barricades were set up within the temple premises to help control the influx of people. Between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM, the crowd spiraled into complete disorder.
**2. Devotees Were Being Ushered Through a Back Door**
Instead of attempting to control the swelling crowd, the temple management and the priests present on the scene chose to exploit the situation. They began accepting money from people to grant them access to the deity through a rear entrance. There was no one to stop them, and they acted with complete impunity. This blatant favoritism and misconduct fueled growing resentment among the general public. 3.10 Thousand-Strong Crowd; No Arrangements by Police or Administration
Within the temple premises, there were neither any security arrangements in place nor had any police personnel been deployed to control the crowd. Despite having prior knowledge of the fair, the administration had not deployed a single magistrate to the site. Notably, the President was scheduled to visit a location just 30 kilometers away from the incident site, where 2,500 personnel drawn from eight districts had been deployed.
2,500 Personnel for President's Security; Tragedy Strikes One and a Half Hours Before Her Arrival in Nalanda
President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Nalanda today to attend the convocation ceremony at Nalanda University. The President is scheduled to remain in Nalanda from 11:20 AM until 4:50 PM.
Robust security arrangements have been put in place for her visit. In addition to Nalanda, over 2,500 police and administrative officials have been deployed from more than eight districts—including Jehanabad, Gaya, and Patna—to ensure security.
The District Magistrate (DM) of Nalanda issued directives to magistrates and police officials to remain fully vigilant. Medical services were placed on high alert to handle any potential emergency situation, and doctors and medical personnel were stationed at the main venue of the event.
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