The Arab Times reported that seven women died in the stampede at the Sheetla Mata Temple in Bihar’s Nalanda district on March 31, 2026. A large crowd had gathered for the regular Tuesday religious event during the month of Chaitra when the rumor of a live wire falling triggered the panic. Police and villagers immediately began rescue operations but the crush claimed the lives of the women with several more sustaining injuries.
According to reports from The Hindu, most of those killed were women and officials fear the death toll could still rise as some victims remain in critical condition at local hospitals. The Bihar government announced an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the stampede and pledged financial support for the families of those who died. Officials are reviewing security arrangements at the temple which sees heavy attendance on specific days.
A report by the Times of India on a similar incident at Haridwar’s Mansa Devi Temple on July 27, 2025, indicated six people were killed after an electric cable reportedly fell onto a narrow path. That event was worsened by the presence of a wall that restricted movement as panic set in among the pilgrims. AP News noted the Haridwar stampede also stemmed from rumors of an electrical hazard rather than a confirmed failure.
Police in Nalanda have yet to confirm whether an actual electrical hazard existed at the Sheetla Mata Temple or if the rumor alone prompted the fatal rush. They stated that severe overcrowding at the site contributed significantly to the outcome of the incident. The authorities have called on the public to refrain from spreading unverified alerts during large religious assemblies to avoid repeats of such events.
The Wire reported that eight of nine people killed in the Bihar stampede were women with one man and several children also among the victims in some accounts. In a previous temple stampede in Jehanabad district covered by The Print, seven people died under comparable conditions of overcrowding. Compensation payments to the families of the latest victims have been announced by state officials.
France 24 reported that a stampede at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India in July 2024 left more than 100 people dead highlighting the recurrent risks at such events. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued crowd management guidelines for religious festivals but their application differs by state and location. Local hospitals continue treating those injured in the March 31 incident with further details expected as the official inquiry advances.
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