April 1, 2026
NEW DELHI – A sudden rush of devotees at a temple fair in Bihar’s Nalanda turned deadly on Tuesday, leaving at least eight people dead and several others injured after barricades reportedly collapsed during prayers.
The incident unfolded during the weekly Tuesday gathering at the Sheetla Mata Temple, which also coincided with Mahavir Jayanti. Questions are being raised over planning and insufficient police deployment at the site.
Crowd swelled, system cracked, and then panic took over
The stampede broke out at the temple in Maghda village, under the Deepnagar police station limits, where a fair is held every Tuesday and draws large crowds.
According to officials, the situation slipped after the crowd became too dense to manage. Several of the injured are said to be in critical condition.
But people at the spot describe a more sudden collapse of order.
Lalit Kumar, a local, told ANI, “It is Mahavir Jayanti and Tuesday today, so there was a huge crowd there. The barricades broke and suddenly, a stampede occurred. People are saying that there was no police there.”
Another devotee, Reena Roy, said the warning signs were already there. “There is a designated queue here, but no one wanted to wait in line, which is why a stampede broke out. This fair is held every Tuesday. This incident highlights a failure on the part of the administration.”
Temple priest Guttu Singhwah told IANS that the situation worsened rapidly due to overcrowding. “There was such a massive crowd that people had no space to go inside. Due to the crowd, the blood pressure of some people dropped. People started panicking then. We tried to help some of them and calm the situation, but till then several were injured.”
He also questioned the delay in emergency response. “We waited for the ambulance, but it arrived quite late. We want to ask the administration and the government why there was a delay in the ambulance. If it had arrived a bit earlier, the situation would have been different.”
Family members of victims said they rushed to the temple after receiving calls about the stampede, only to find multiple relatives injured. One grieving relative said, “People had gone to offer prayers at Maa Sheetla when a stampede occurred… my sister-in-law has also passed away.”
Chaos lingers as rescue continues
Even after the stampede, the fear didn’t fade immediately. Devotees kept running, some clutching their belongings, others just trying to find a way out of the temple premises, as confusion and panic lingered.
For a while, there was no clear sense of control. Police personnel struggled to manage the crowd and clear the area.
Teams from Laheri and Deepnagar police stations eventually reached the spot, along with the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Bihar Sharif, and began coordinating rescue efforts on the ground. Shops around the fair were asked to shut immediately.
Rescue officials and local residents joined efforts on the ground, while the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals. Police said they are still trying to determine the exact cause of the stampede.
₹6 lakh compensation announced, PM and CM express grief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced financial assistance for the victims’ families.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office said, “The mishap in Nalanda district, Bihar, is deeply painful. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured.”
It added that an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund will be given to the next of kin of each deceased, while the injured will receive ₹50,000.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar described the incident as “extremely tragic” and said it had left him deeply distressed.
According to an official release, the state government will provide an ex-gratia of ₹6 lakh to the families of those who died — ₹4 lakh from the Disaster Management Department and ₹2 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Senior officials have been sent to the site and are overseeing relief and rescue efforts, the statement said. The Chief Minister also directed that all injured devotees be given proper medical treatment and wished them a speedy recovery.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary called the incident “extremely heartbreaking” and expressed condolences to the families of those killed and injured.
In a post on X, he said the government is extending all possible assistance and that proper treatment arrangements have been made for the injured.
Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh criticised the administration, saying the tragedy was a result of “laxity” and called for greater vigilance and prompt compensation for victims’ families.
The incident comes on a day when President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to visit Rajgir for the Nalanda University convocation, adding to the significance of the day in the region.
