News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/12th August 2024
A tragic stampede at the Baba Siddheshwarnath Temple on Barabar Hills in Bihar’s Jehanabad district resulted in the death of at least seven kanwariyas and left nine others injured late Sunday night. The incident occurred around 12:30 am as a large number of devotees were making their way up the hills to offer prayers at the revered temple in Makhdumpur area.
The stampede reportedly unfolded during the peak of the pilgrimage season, coinciding with the fourth Monday of the holy month of Saawan. As the number of devotees increased, the situation became chaotic, leading to the tragic events. Some local residents have pointed fingers at inadequate crowd management and a police lathicharge as contributing factors to the disaster. According to Suman Kumar, a relative of one of the injured kanwariyas, the common routes used by devotees for going to and returning from the temple became overcrowded. The police’s attempt to control the swelling crowd through lathicharge possibly exacerbated the situation, leading to the stampede.
Jehanabad District Magistrate Alankrita Pandey confirmed the number of fatalities and stated that the authorities are investigating the causes behind the incident. She assured that the injured individuals are receiving medical treatment at the Jehanabad hospital. The tragic event has sparked outrage and concern among the local population and pilgrims alike, highlighting issues related to crowd management and safety measures during such large-scale religious gatherings.
The incident has drawn attention to the urgent need for improved safety protocols and better crowd control measures at religious sites, especially during peak pilgrimage periods. As the community and authorities come to terms with the tragedy, efforts are being made to address the shortcomings that led to the unfortunate stampede.
