Seven killed in stampede at Bihar temple

A stampede at Ashokdham Temple in Lakhisarai, Bihar, India, on Monday morning resulted in the deaths of seven women and injuries to six others. The incident occurred as a large crowd gathered for darshan, with a long queue extending from the railway station to the temple.

The situation escalated when two trains arrived simultaneously at Ashokdham Halt railway station. Amidst the increased pressure from the crowd, a rumor spread that an electricity pole had fallen, although it was later confirmed that only an electric wire had snapped. This caused panic and a surge in the queue of women on the left side, leading to them falling on top of one another.

Lakhisarai Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Shivam Kumar confirmed the fatalities and injuries. The injured have been admitted to Sadar Hospital, where Lakhisarai District Officer Shailendra Kumar visited to assess the situation and brief journalists. The victims were all women, highlighting the vulnerability of specific groups in crowd-control situations.

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There was a long queue stretching from directly in front of Ashokdham Halt railway station to the temple. At the same time, two trains arrived at the station. Meanwhile, a rumour spread that an electricity pole had fallen, when in fact only an electric wire had snapped. Following this, pressure increased in the queue of women on the left side, causing them to fall on top of one another.