On Monday morning, a stampede broke out at Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai, killing seven devotees and injuring more than a dozen. The incident happened while thousands were present for the third Somwari of the holy Shravan month.
Preliminary reports say the crush began when an electric pole fell on the road leading to the temple. Rumors that the pole carried live electricity spread quickly, causing panic and a rush for safety.
The crowd surge was also triggered by the arrival of two trains at the nearby station between 6:30 and 6:45 a.m. The sudden influx of people overwhelmed the crowd control measures in place.
District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar explained that barricades on one side broke as the crowd pressed forward, leading to people falling on each other. He said authorities had anticipated a large turnout but the unexpected spike was hard to manage.
More than a dozen injured, mostly women, were taken to Lakhisarai Sadar Hospital. Police, health officials and volunteers worked quickly to provide medical aid and rescue trapped devotees.
The police are still investigating the exact cause of the stampede, noting that an electric pole collapse may have been the trigger but the final report is pending.
Ashok Dham Temple, also called Shri Indradamneshwar Mahadev Temple, is a major Shiva shrine in Bihar. It sees a sharp rise in visitors during Sawan, especially on Mondays for jalabhishek.
A similar stampede in 2019 resulted in one death and several injuries, highlighting the need for better crowd management during the pilgrimage season.