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On Tuesday, a tragic stampede occurred at the Sheetla Mata temple located in Nalanda district, Bihar, resulting in the deaths of at least nine individuals, primarily women, as reported by local authorities.

Nalanda's Superintendent of Police, Bharat Soni, indicated that the temple was overwhelmed with visitors, and the police were unprepared for the unexpected surge in attendance.

Typically, Tuesdays attract significant crowds to the temple in Maghra village, according to local news sources.

Soni noted that the hot weather conditions exacerbated the situation, contributing to the chaos. He explained, “As women entered the temple after taking a holy dip in cold water, many began to faint from dehydration and suffocation, leading to this unfortunate event.”

Local residents expressed concerns regarding the lack of effective crowd management measures at the temple.

In response to the incident, the district administration has temporarily closed the temple. The state's chief secretary has been instructed to launch an investigation, and a Special Investigation Team has been formed to look into the events surrounding the stampede.

Additionally, the officer in charge of the Deep Nagar police station has been suspended, as confirmed by Soni.

The deceased individuals have been transported to Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examinations. Among those identified are Rita Devi, Kanti Devi, Rekha Devi, Revanti Febi, Malo Devi, and Kinta Devi.

The Bihar government has announced a compensation of Rs 6 lakh for the families of the victims, while the Prime Minister’s Office has pledged Rs 2 lakh for each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.