President Droupadi Murmu has expressed profound grief following a stampede at the Ashok Dham Temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai district, which resulted in the deaths of at least seven devotees and left approximately twelve injured. The tragic incident occurred on Monday morning during the holy month of Shravan, a period when thousands gather to offer prayers to Lord Shiva.
Tragedy Strikes During Shravan Prayers
The stampede took place around 6:40 AM on Monday, the third Monday of Shravan, a particularly auspicious day that draws massive crowds to the Indramaneshwar Mahadev Temple, popularly known as Ashok Dham. Officials indicated that the surge began when a large number of devotees, many of whom were women, reportedly pushed through barricades while attempting to enter the temple premises. This led to several individuals falling, triggering widespread panic.
Preliminary reports suggest that the situation was exacerbated by a sudden influx of pilgrims following the arrival of two trains at a nearby railway station. There were also unconfirmed reports of a fallen electrical cable or pole contributing to the panic among the gathered crowd. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the precise sequence of events leading to the disaster.
President Murmu Offers Condolences
In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), President Murmu described the incident as “extremely painful” and extended her deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones. She also offered prayers for the swift recovery of all those injured in the stampede.
Bihar Government Announces Compensation and Investigation
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary also conveyed his condolences and announced a compensation of ₹4 lakh for the family of each deceased devotee. Additionally, the state administration has initiated a comprehensive review of crowd management protocols at the Ashok Dham Temple. This includes examining existing barricading, evaluating entry and exit routes, and assessing the deployment of security personnel to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Ashok Dham Temple is a significant pilgrimage site, especially during Shravan, attracting devotees from across the region for traditional jalabhishek ceremonies. The combination of the religious occasion, exceptionally high pilgrim footfall, and the arrival of trains appears to have created an uncontrollable crowd surge on the fateful morning.