- At least eight women were killed and several others injured in a crowd crush at the Sheetla temple in Nalanda district, Bihar, on Tuesday morning.
- The incident occurred when hundreds of devotees gathered, and a sudden rush intensified into a stampede-like situation, with eyewitnesses reporting a lack of police presence and broken barricades.
- Local devotees and eyewitnesses have blamed poor management by the temple administration for failing to control the swelling crowd, which led to the tragic event.
- Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered an investigation, shut down the temple, and announced an ex gratia payment of Rs600,000 for each victim's family, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences and additional compensation.
- The incident highlights a recurring issue in India, where stampedes, particularly at religious gatherings, are increasingly common, with several similar fatal events reported in recent years.
IN FULL
