Wednesday, 01 April 2026
Wednesday, 01 April 2026
At least eight women died and several others were injured in a stampede on Tuesday morning at the Shitala Mata temple in Bihar’s Nalanda district that was apparently triggered by a massive surge of devotees during a religious gathering.
At least six major stampedes have snuffed out dozens of lives in temples across India over the past five years.
This list does not include the Kumbh mela stampede – the exact death toll in which is still disputed – last year or the July 2, 2024 stampede at a satsang in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh that claimed at least 121 lives, most of them women and children, at an event led by ‘godman’ Bhole Baba (Narayan Saakar Hari) because they were not strictly temple tragedies.
Andhra Pradesh, 2025
Nine devotees, including eight women and a child, died in a stampede at a newly built temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam. The incident occurred at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga during Ekadashi when a heavy rush of devotees led to the crush. At least 17 others were injured.
Haridwar, 2025
A stampede at the hilltop Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar in July 2025 resulted in at least six deaths and over 30 injuries. The chaos reportedly unfolded on a crowded stairway, allegedly sparked by panic over rumours of an electrical wire incident.
Goa, 2025
At least seven people were killed and around 80 injured in a stampede on May 3, 2025, in Shirgao village in north Goa’s Bicholim taluka. The tragedy occurred as lakhs of devotees gathered for the annual Lairai Jatra at the Shree Lairai Devi Temple.
Tirupati, 2025
On January 8, 2025, a stampede broke out during the distribution of free tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Tirupati, near the Tirumala temple, resulting in six deaths and over 40 injuries. The incident occurred when thousands of devotees crowded into a confined space, leading to a sudden surge after a gate was opened.
Indore, 2023
On March 31, 2023, a major tragedy occurred in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, when a concrete slab covering an old stepwell (bawdi) collapsed at a temple, resulting in at least 35 deaths and nearly 18 injuries.
Vaishno Devi, 2022
A stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, on January 1, 2022, left 12 people dead and over a dozen injured. The incident took place around 2:45 am near Gate No. 3, amid a heavy influx of pilgrims for New Year celebrations, with reports indicating that a scuffle triggered the crush.
