Tragedy at Ashokdham temple: 7 dead, 14 injured in crowd chaos
Representational image. (Image courtesy: Wikimedia)
New Delhi: A massive rush of devotees at Ashokdham temple in Bihar’s Lakhisarai turned chaotic on Monday morning, leaving seven people dead and 14 injured, officials said. The incident took place around 6.30am as devotees gathered at the temple for prayers and to offer jal (water) to Lord Shiva during Shravan Somvaar.
The circumstances surrounding the incident were not immediately clear. SDPO Shivam Kumar told ANI that an electric pole was reportedly involved and that some people may have been electrocuted before the situation turned into a stampede-like incident, adding that officials were verifying the sequence of events.
Lakhisarai district magistrate, Shailendra Kumar told ANI that the crowd became unusually large in the early morning. He said two trains arriving between 6.30am and 6.45am added to the rush at the temple.
According to Kumar, the administration had anticipated a heavy turnout and put crowd-control measures in place. However, the pressure eventually caused a portion of the barricading to collapse, triggering a fall among devotees.
Rescue teams, police personnel and district officials reached the temple following the incident. The injured were moved to medical facilities for treatment, while authorities worked to manage the crowd at the site.
Bihar chief minister, Samrat Choudhary, expressed condolences to the families of those killed and announced ₹ 4 lakh as ex-gratia compensation for the next of kin of each deceased person. He also directed the administration to ensure immediate medical care for those injured.
The incident occurred on Shravan Somvaar, a day that sees large gatherings at Shiva temples across the state.
Bus catches fire in Muzaffarpur
In another incident, a passenger bus travelling from Motihari towards Chhatarpur caught fire on the NH-27 Barji overbridge in Muzaffarpur on August 12.
The fire broke out around 12.45am and was attributed to a short circuit, according to sub-divisional fire officer Amrita Kumari. All 35 passengers were evacuated safely from the bus.
