Crowd swell, broken barricades, live wire rumour: What led to Bihar temple stampede
Witnesses however countered this narrative and said there was a stampede due to the lack of crowd management.
A stampede at Ashok Dham, an ancient Shiva temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai district, resulted in seven fatalities on Monday morning. Overcrowding was cited as the primary cause, with thousands of devotees amassing at the site. Lakhisarai District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar reported that around 6:40 am, some young individuals attempted to push through barricades, leading to the tragic incident.
However, witnesses disputed this account, attributing the stampede to insufficient crowd management. A massive crowd had gathered at the temple, with queues extending over six kilometers, and the local trains' halt exacerbated the situation. When an electric pole fell, rumors spread of a live wire, causing panic among the women's queue.
The injured were taken to nearby medical facilities for treatment. Authorities, including police personnel, remained on-site to manage the crowd and avert further mishaps.
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