At least eight people lost their lives and 12 others were injured in a stampede at Sheetla Mata Temple on Tuesday. The incident took place under the Deepnagar police station area in Nalanda.

A large number of devotees had gathered at the temple to offer prayers. Tuesdays usually attract heavy crowds, but the turnout was even higher as it was the last Tuesday of the Chaitra month. Eyewitnesses said that eight of the victims were women.

Overcrowding Triggers Chaos

The situation turned chaotic when the crowd became uncontrollable. Devotees tried to move quickly, which led to panic and a stampede. Many people were trapped in the rush while trying to escape.

Authorities identified two victims as Rita Devi (50), wife of Dinesh Rajak, and Rekha Devi (45), wife of Kamlesh Prasad from Mathurapur Noorsarai.

Injured Shifted, Temple Closed

Rescue teams rushed the injured to nearby hospitals. Doctors later shifted some of them to larger medical facilities for better treatment. Officials cleared the temple premises after the incident. They also shut the temple and the associated fair to prevent further risk.

Probe Ordered by Government

Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit ordered an investigation into the tragedy. He asked the Patna divisional commissioner and the range Inspector General to submit a detailed report.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced ₹6 lakh compensation for the families of each victim.

Delay in Police Response Alleged

Police officials said they reached the spot late because many personnel were deployed for the President’s security. Senior officers later arrived at the scene after receiving information.

The exact cause of the stampede is still unclear. However, locals blamed poor crowd management and lack of police presence.

Festival Rush Leads to Heavy Footfall

The temple, located near Bihar Sharif, sees huge crowds during the Chaitra month. Devotees especially visit during Sheetla Ashtami, when they offer cold food prepared a day earlier and avoid lighting stoves. Long queues are common during this period.

Devotees Blame Mismanagement

Eyewitnesses blamed the administration for the incident.

Mamata Devi said, “It is always crowded here on Tuesday. People come for Sheetla Mata’s darshan. We too have come from Patna for darshan. But a stampede broke out, and people died. It happened due to mismanagement. An ambulance arrived but the administration had not shown up.”

Reena Rai said, “We came to know that a few people fell unconscious and a few others were injured. We also heard of a few deaths. The stampede occurred because nobody wanted to be in the queue and everybody wanted to have the darshan before everyone else. This was the last Tuesday of Chaitra. It is all due to mismanagement.”

Local resident Lalit Kumar said, “It is Mahavir Jayanti and Tuesday today, so there was a huge crowd there. The barricades broke, and suddenly a stampede occurred. People are saying that people were trampled on and deaths occurred. People are also saying that there was no police there.”

Government Expresses Grief

Bihar Home Minister Samrat Choudhary called the incident tragic and extended condolences to the victims’ families.

“I express my condolences to the families of all the devotees who lost their lives and were injured in this accident. All possible support and relief is being provided by the government to the affected families. Proper treatment of the injured has been arranged,” he said.