Six dead in stampede at Bihar temple amid unprecedented surge in devotees

A stampede-like incident at the Ashokdham Temple in Lakhisarai, Bihar, claimed the lives of at least six people and left several others injured on Monday. The tragedy unfolded amidst an unprecedented surge in the number of devotees visiting the temple.

Officials stated that the crowd swelled significantly, exacerbated by the arrival of two trains around 6:30-6:45 am, which added to the already large gathering. Lakhisarai District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar confirmed that arrangements had been made in anticipation of the large crowd.

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The crowd swelled in an unprecedented manner. Around 6.30-6.45 am, two trains arrived here, which also added to the crowd. Arrangements were made as we had anticipated the crowd.

However, the immense physical pressure of the gathering led to the mishap. "The barricading broke on one side due to the crowd, and people fell on each other," Kumar explained. Emergency rescue operations were immediately launched, and injured individuals were transported to local medical facilities for treatment.

District administration and police personnel are currently on-site to manage the remaining devotees and prevent any further incidents. An investigation into the matter is ongoing, with more details expected.

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We then came to know that the barricading broke on one side due to the crowd, and people fell on each other. We rushed 10-15 people here immediately.