Aug 17, Kathmandu - ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In a tragic incident near Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai district, Bihar, at least seven devotees lost their lives in a stampede on Monday morning, with several others injured.

According to district administration officials, the chaos erupted when rumors spread that a live electric wire had fallen near the railway halt after a pole collapsed. The ensuing panic caused devotees to rush in different directions, resulting in the tragic casualties.

District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar confirmed that all the deceased were women. He stated that a large gathering of devotees had congregated at Ashok Dham Halt, where two trains were stationary. The sudden collapse of a nearby electric pole and the circulating rumors of live wire electrocution led to a surge in the crowd, causing some devotees to push and fall over each other.

“The incident occurred suddenly within about two minutes,” Kumar said. He added that police and administrative teams had been working at the scene since 3 a.m. to manage the situation.

S. D. P. O. Shivam Kumar reported the death toll confirming seven fatalities and indicated that initial reports suggested a live wire may have caused the electrocution after the pole fell. However, investigations into the exact cause are ongoing.

Bihar Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha expressed grief over the tragedy, attributing the stampede to rumors that the fallen pole was still live. He assured that the responsible individuals spreading false information would be identified and dealt with appropriately.

Central Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh also expressed condolences to the families of the victims, noting that a large number of devotees had gathered at Ashok Dham on the third Monday of Shravan month to offer water to Lord Shiva.

The injured have been rushed to Lakhisarai District Hospital and nearby health centers. Police, district administration, and emergency services were deployed at the scene to control the situation.

In response to the tragedy, the Bihar government announced a relief package of four lakh Indian Rupees to the families of the deceased. Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Choudhary conveyed through social media that the government stands with the victims’ families.

The incident occurred during the peak of the Shravan month, when large crowds gather at Shiva temples to pay homage, and the morning hours saw a heavy influx of devotees at Ashok Dham.