INDIA: At least six people were killed and five others injured in a stampede-like incident at the Ashok Dham temple in India’s eastern Bihar state on Monday, officials said. Police said the incident may have been triggered after an electricity pole fell and alarmed a crowd of worshippers, although authorities were still investigating the exact cause.
Senior police officer Shivam Kumar said preliminary reports indicated that the fallen pole may have caused people to be electrocuted, leading to panic among devotees and a subsequent stampede-like situation. “We can tell you the exact reason only after verifying everything,” he said.
The incident occurred as large numbers of devotees gathered at the temple in Lakhisarai district during a Hindu holy month. Television footage showed relatives gathering at hospitals while rescue workers transported injured people on stretchers.
Authorities Investigate Cause of Crowd Incident
Officials were investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths and injuries, including whether the falling electricity pole directly caused the casualties or triggered the crowd surge.
The incident adds to India’s history of deadly crowd accidents at religious gatherings, where large concentrations of worshippers have repeatedly created challenges for crowd management and public safety. Authorities were continuing rescue and verification operations as the investigation progressed.