India: At least six people were killed and over 25 were injured in a stampede at the Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar on Sunday after a massive crowd gathered along the stairway route of the popular shrine, officials said.
Confirming the incident, Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey said, “Six people have died in a stampede after a huge crowd gathered at the Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar. I am leaving for the spot. A detailed report of the incident is awaited”.
The incident unfolded amid an influx of devotees, reportedly leading to chaos and panic. As soon as information about the stampede came in, police and administrative teams were rushed to the site.
Rescue and relief operations are underway. Authorities are in the process of identifying the victims and assessing the cause of the suspected electrocution. Five of the injured people have been shifted to All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS).
An eyewitness, who identified himself as Bunty, told India Today TV that the chaos broke out after devotees noticed a current running through a pole near the temple. “There was a pole near the temple where people said they felt an electric current. That’s when people started panicking and a stampede followed,” he said.
However, police have ruled out electrocution as the cause of the incident.
