Biharsharif: Administrative lapses and inadequate crowd management are said to have contributed to the tragic stampede that occurred at the Sheetla Mata Temple near Maghra village under Deepnagar police station area in Nalanda district on Tuesday, leaving at least nine devotees dead and more than a dozen others injured.According to sources, the incident took place during the morning prayer ritual when approximately 25,000 devotees had gathered at the temple to offer prayers. The crowd reportedly swelled beyond expectations, and the situation soon turned chaotic, leading to a sudden stampede inside the temple premises.
Eyewitnesses alleged that neither the district administration nor the temple management committee made proper crowd management arrangements despite anticipating a heavy rush of devotees on the last Tuesday of the Chaitra month. The absence of adequate barricading and a systematic queue arrangement reportedly led to congestion at the temple’s entry point. As devotees pushed and tried to enter the shrine simultaneously, panic spread quickly among the crowd.Sources also pointed to insufficient deployment of police personnel and volunteers to regulate the movement of devotees. With limited manpower available at the site, controlling the rapidly increasing crowd became difficult.Another major concern highlighted by locals was the absence of an effective public announcement system to guide devotees. Confusion reportedly worsened as people struggled to move through the tightly packed area, with no announcements to regulate the crowd or issue instructions.The narrow pathway leading to the temple further aggravated the situation. Vendors and temporary stalls near the temple entrance are also believed to have caused congestion and restricted free movement of devotees.Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, Nalanda superintendent of police Bharat Soni said, “There was a massive crowd of devotees at the temple. The day was hot. Some of the devotees fainted due to dehydration within the temple premises after taking dip in cold water.” Soni said a special investigation team (SIT) had been formed to properly investigate the matter. A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team has already started its work.Nalanda district magistrate Kundan Kumar also attributed the incident to overcrowding. Kumar said ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh from the disaster management department and Rs 2 lakh from the chief minister’s relief fund was being provided to the kin of each identified victim.Meanwhile, a crowd gathered at Biharsharif Sadar Hospital and demanded that the police and the district administration take responsibility for the lapses. They also demanded the removal of the Nalanda district magistrate and superintendent of police for failing to protect people’s lives.
