Kamal Ghorui
NALANDA: At least eight women died and six others were injured in a stampede-like situation at the Sheetala Mata temple in the Maghra area of Bihar Sharif on Tuesday morning.The incident occurred on the last Tuesday of the Chaitra month, when a large number of devotees had gathered at the Sheetala Mata temple. With heavy footfall since early morning, the situation turned chaotic after a sudden rumour triggered panic among the crowd.The rush intensified within seconds, leading to a stampede-like situation. Several people fell amid the surge and were trampled as panic spread.The injured were rushed to a government hospital in Bihar Sharif, where they are currently undergoing treatment. Local residents, along with police and administrative officials, carried out rescue efforts and helped shift the victims.Lalit Kumar, a local, said to news agency ANI, “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 there was no police there.”Another devotee from Patna said to news agency ANI, “We could not even go in. Deaths occurred there, following which we were sent away. A lathi charge also took place.”Reacting to the tragedy, Bihar deputy CM Samrat Choudhary said in a post on social media that the incident was “extremely heartbreaking” and expressed condolences to the families of those who died and were injured. He said the government is extending all possible assistance and relief to the affected families, and that arrangements have been made to ensure proper treatment of the injured. He also prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength for the grieving families, while wishing a speedy recovery to those hurt.
Meanwhile, Bihar is set to host a high-profile academic event, with Droupadi Murmu scheduled to arrive in Rajgir on Tuesday. She will attend the second convocation ceremony of Nalanda University as its Visitor and chief guest. During her visit, her first to the university as President, Murmu will address the gathering, confer degrees, and award gold medals to meritorious students. The ceremony will see participation from 617 graduating students representing 31 countries, along with dignitaries from India and abroad.
