Stampede breaks out at Sheetla Temple in Bihar's Nalanda; 8 feared dead

AT to the lowest degree eighter people were feared deadened and 12 others were injured after a stampede skint come out due to overcrowding in around the campus of Sheetla Mata Temple located under Dipnagar police station of Bihar's Nalanda on Tuesday.A large number of devotees had gathered at the Sheetala Mata temple to offer prayers, today being Tuesday. According to eyewitnesses of the incident, eight women died and more than 12 people were injured.Devotees usually gather in large numbers at the temple every Tuesday for prayers. Since it was the last Tuesday of the Chaitra month, a large crowd had turned at the temple. Chaos broke out suddenly inside the temple, triggering a stampede. As people tried to escape, several women were crushed in the strong rush and lost their lives.The injured were taken to the Sadar Hospital for treatment. The temple premise was completely cleared following the stampede. A large number of police personnel reached the spot hours after the incident because entire police forces deputed for President's security.After receiving information about the incident, senior district officials, including the SDPO, rushed to the spot. The exact cause of the stampede is still unclear. However, locals alleged there may not have been adequate police presence or security arrangements at the temple.Two of the five deceased have been identified. Rita Devi (50), wife of Dinesh Rajak, a resident of Bihar, and Rekha Devi (45), wife of Kamlesh Prasad, a resident of Mathurapur Noorsarai. The injured have been shifted to Model Hospital for treatment.Today is the last Tuesday of the month of Chaitra. A large crowd of devotees gathered in the temple. The administration has closed the temple and the fair after the accident.This temple is located in Maghra village, about 5 kilometers away from Bihar Sharif (Nalanda). The main worship is on the Ashtami (Shitla Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha of Chaitra month. It is a tradition that on the day of Sheeta Ashtami, the stove is not lit in the houses. Devotees offer cold food (basi) made to the mother a day before. On the day of Ashtami, there is a huge crowd here, people stand in long queues to offer darshan to the mother.Mamata Devi, a devotee, says, "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 has reached here. It is so crowded here. Administration is not here."What locals sawAnother devotee Reena Rai says, ".We came to know that a few people have fallen unconscious and a few others are 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."Lalit Kumar, a local, says, "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."Bihar home minister Samraat Choudhary said that a tragic incident of stampede at the Mata Sheeta temple in Nalanda is extremely painful. "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," said the deputy CM.