At least 13 Hindu devotees have died in two separate incidents in India, involving a temple crowd surge and a hotel fire.
Seven pilgrims lost their lives outside the Ashok Dham Temple in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district on Monday. Meanwhile, six others died after a major fire broke out at a hotel in West Bengal.
Seven devotees killed near Bihar temple
The first tragedy occurred outside the Ashok Dham Temple amid a large gathering of devotees. The crowd had increased significantly during the holy month of Sawan.
According to reports, rumours of a fallen live electric wire triggered panic among the pilgrims. An electric pole had reportedly collapsed, adding to the confusion.
As the crowd reacted, barricades reportedly gave way at one side of the temple entrance. Consequently, several devotees fell over one another in the resulting chaos.
Lakhisarai District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar said preparations had been made for a large turnout. However, he described the crowd as “unprecedented”.
“We came to know that barricading broke out on one side due to the crowd and people fell on each other. We rushed 10-15 people here immediately,” Kumar said.
A witness claimed that around 100 people pushed through barricades near the entrance. The incident then caused further panic among devotees gathered at the site.
Police and other officials quickly reached the location and began rescue efforts. Meanwhile, authorities shifted the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed grief over the deaths. He described the incident as “extremely tragic and heart-wrenching.”
“The incident at Ashok Dham in Lakhisarai is extremely tragic and heart-wrenching,” he wrote.
He also said the deaths had left him “deeply distressed” and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
“Necessary instructions have been issued to the administration for the proper and expeditious treatment of the injured. May God grant peace to the departed souls and a swift recovery to the injured,” he said.
Hotel fire claims six lives in West Bengal
A separate tragedy unfolded at a hotel in Tarapith, a major pilgrimage destination in West Bengal.
At least six pilgrims died after a massive fire erupted at the hotel early Monday. The blaze reportedly started around 4am while pilgrims were sleeping inside.
According to reports, the fire initially broke out in the reception area. It then spread through other sections of the four-storey building.
Firefighters rushed to the scene and eventually brought the blaze under control. The hotel stands close to both Tarapith Police Station and the Tarapith temple.
The temple attracts large numbers of pilgrims throughout the year, making the incident particularly significant for visitors and local authorities.
Together, the two incidents claimed 13 lives in separate pilgrimage-related tragedies across India on Monday.
