7 Hindu devotees killed, more than a dozen wounded in Bihar after rumours lead to stampede: Here is what we know so far

A rush at the Ashok Dham temple in Bihar claimed seven lives.
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On 17th August (Monday), a stampede-like occurrence resulted in seven fatalities and multiple injuries at Ashokdham Temple, also known as Shri Indradamneshwar Mahadev Mandir, in Lakhisarai of Bihar. A large crowd of thousands had gathered at the morning of the tragedy which happened on Shravan’s (Sawan) third Somvaar that attracts a lot of devotees to Lord Shiv temples to pray and perform jalabhishek. According to initial projections, the number of people touched 50,000 in the temple during the peak rush.

“Seven casualties have been reported. It is being said that an electric pole fell there and people were electrocuted, which led to a stampede-like situation. We can tell you the exact reason only after verifying everything. The crowd swelled in an unprecedented manner. Around 6.30-6.45 am, two trains came here that too added to the crowd. Arrangements were made as we had anticipated the crowd. We then came to know that barricading broke on one side due to the crowd and people fell on each other. We rushed 10-15 people here immediately,” informed District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar.

“The queue of devotees had reached till Ashokdham Halt. Two trains had stopped at the halt. Suddenly, an electric pole fell there. The pole was located on the right side of the men’s queue. When the pole collapsed, a rumour spread that a live wire had fallen on people, but it was a cable wire. This led to pressure on the women’s queue on the left side. So, women fell on top of each other… Police administration had been marching there since 3 am. This happened all of a sudden within a span of 2 minutes. We are at Sadar Hospital right now. All the deceased are women. We are finding out the exact number of deceased,” he conveyed to ANI.

The incident reportedly unfolded near the road that connects the temple with Ashok Dham railway station and over a dozen devotees, all women, were also wounded including many in critical state. They were rushed to Lakhisarai Sadar Hospital. Furthermore, teams from the health department, police and administration arrived at the temple and launched rescue, relief and medical operations.

Authorities continue to look into the circumstances to confirm the happenings that preceded the deadly commotion. There is concern that the toll of the victims could witness a spike.

There have been reports of stampedes at the prominent temple earlier as well. It has a notable surge in visitors throughout the month of Sawan, especially on Mondays when devotees congregate for jalabhishek. During 2019 Sawan, a stampede caused by crowding resulted in at least one fatality and other injuries.

Unfortunately, stampedes have become frequent in India due to overcrowding and related issues. Last November, at least nine devotees lost their lives and several others sustained injuries in a stampede at the Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga, located in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. The incident took place when thousands congregated at the privately-operated temple to celebrate Ekadashi.

The turmoil is not limited to religious events as political rallies and sports programs have also experienced similar incidents. In December 2025, the opening event of Lionel Messi’s India Tour at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata spiraled into a chaotic stampede. A few months earlier, in September, a crowd surge during a campaign rally led by actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay tragically led to at least 36 deaths, including three children and left dozens injured.

A stampeded triggered outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru resulted in 11 deaths as over 50 people were injured during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) celebration after the team won its first ever Indian Premier League (IPL) final in June of last year.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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