Sheetla Mata Temple Stampede: Eight women were killed while several others were injured after a stampede broke out on Tuesday at Sheetla Mata Temple located in Bihar’s Nalanda district amid severe overcrowding, jagran.com reported.

The stampede occurred in the Deepnagar area of Bihar Sharif, where a fair was being held on the last Tuesday of the month of Chaitra and a large crowd had gathered to worship at the temple. The injured were admitted to Model Hospital for treatment. Two deceased have been identified so far, these include - Rita Devi (50 and Rekha Devi (45). The process of identifying the other deceased is underway.

"It is always crowded here on Tuesday. People come for Sheetla Mata's darshan. We too have come from Patna for darshan. But a stampede broke out, and people died. It happened due to mismanagement...An ambulance has arrived here. It is so crowded here. Administration is not here,” a devotee said, as quoted by ANI.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary described the stampede incident as extremely heartbreaking and said that the government is providing assistance and relief to the affected families. 

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“I express my condolences to the families of all the devotees who lost their lives and were injured in this accident. The government is providing every possible assistance and relief to the affected families. Arrangements have been made for the proper treatment of the injured,” Samrat Choudhary posted on X.

Crowds Gather At Temple Every Year

Located in Maghra village, this temple is about 5 km from Bihar Sharif. A special puja is held here on Sheetla Ashtami. According to tradition, stoves are not lit in homes on this day, and cold food prepared the previous day is offered to the Goddess. This is why a large number of devotees visit the temple every year.

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Following the incident, questions are being raised about the administrative system. Locals said that despite the large crowd, adequate security forces and crowd control arrangements were not in place. According to jagran.com most of the police force of the district was deployed at other places due to the President's program at the convocation ceremony of Nalanda University.

The administration has launched an investigation into the incident. Officials said the cause of the accident is being ascertained and action will be taken against those responsible.


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