Stampede at Shri Sheetla Mata Temple in Nalanda (Bihar) : Leaves Nine Dead and Many Injured

There was no Police arrangement to keep the crowd under control – Claim by devotees

Nalanda (Bihar) – On 31,03,2026, nine devotees died in the stampede that took place in Shri Sheetla Mata Mandir, including eight women and a man. Many devotees have been injured in the stampede. On the occasion of Sheetla Mata Ashtami, a large number of devotees had gathered in the temple. A fair was also held in the premises. People present at the site informed that there was no adequate deployment of Police staff to manage the crowd. People started pushing each other to get a quick ‘Darshan’ leading to stampede. After the incident, the temple and the fair was closed. The state Chief Minister has ordered inquiry into the incident. The Government has declared compensation of Rs 6 lakhs to the heirs of the dead while the Central Government has declared Rs 2 lakhs as compensation.

1. Female devotees stated that it was the last Tuesday of the month of ‘Chaitra’. There was a fair held too. The crowd grew considerably. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is small. People tried to push each other to have ‘Darshan’ first. Nobody was standing in the queue and perform ‘puja’.

2. One devotee informed that there was no security arrangement. There was a huge crowd in the temple without any Policeman to keep a check. There was no system to regulate the crowd or divide people in two separate queues or to divert the crowd. Even the temple-priests were asking devotees to quickly have ‘Darshan’ and leave. At that time, a woman fainted and fell down. Few people tried to help her and push the crowd back and that is when the stampede occurred.

Editorial Perspective

Such incidents of stampede have been taking place since several years in India in temples; but it is a fact that neither the Government, nor the Police Department or the temple management seems to take permanent measures to prevent such incidents.