Seven dead, 19 injured in Bihar temple stampede as crowd management fails

A stampede at the Ashok Dham temple in Bihar state's Lakhisarai district claimed at least seven lives and injured 19 on Monday, according to officials. Deadly stampedes are frequent at large Indian gatherings and religious festivals, often because of inadequate crowd control measures.

The disaster unfolded when rumors circulated about an electric pole collapsing on worshippers within the temple grounds, according to district magistrate Shailendra Kumar, who spoke to AFP. District authorities have described the situation as being under control, confirming the tragic toll.

Kumar reported that 19 individuals are currently receiving medical attention in hospital settings. Bihar's Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary characterized the incident as "heart-wrenching" and pledged compensation of 400,000 rupees to each victim's family. This tragedy adds to a growing list of fatal stampedes in India.

In November of the previous year, nine people perished in a crush at a temple in Andhra Pradesh's southern region. Last year's political rally stampede in Tamil Nadu resulted in the deaths of 36 individuals. In 2024, Uttar Pradesh experienced one of India's most severe crowd management disasters, with 120 fatalities during a religious sermon.