India stampede: 6 dead, several injured at Uttarakhand's Haridwar temple
Rescue operations are underway, and authorities are working to manage the crowd
Six people were killed and several others injured in a stampede at the Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar on Sunday, officials confirmed.
According to Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, a large crowd had gathered at the temple when chaos broke out. “I am leaving for the spot. A detailed report is awaited,” he told ANI.
CM calls incident 'extremely distressing'
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami expressed anguish over the incident, confirming that rescue operations were underway.
“@uksdrf, local police, and other teams are on-site. I’m in constant touch with the administration, and the situation is being closely monitored,” he said on X.He added: “I pray to the Mother Goddess for the safety and well-being of all devotees.”
Victims rushed to hospitals
Visuals from the scene showed injured devotees being evacuated in ambulances. Several victims were seen undergoing emergency treatment at nearby hospitals.
Authorities are continuing rescue and crowd-control operations while assessing the cause of the stampede.
Tragedy strikes during Sawan pilgrimage
The stampede occurred during Sawan, an auspicious month that draws thousands of pilgrims to Haridwar. The city also sees a heavy influx of Kanwariyas—devotees of Lord Shiva—who collect holy Ganga water during this period.
India’s deadly year of religious stampedes
This is the latest in a series of fatal incidents at religious gatherings in India this year:
January: At least 30 killed in a pre-dawn crush at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
May: Six people trampled to death during a fire-walking ritual in Goa.
June: A sudden surge at a Hindu festival in Odisha left at least three dead and several injured.
With inputs from ANI, IANS
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