Stampede at Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar claims lives; what we know so far

Seven people lost their lives and dozens of devotees were injured in a stampede at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The incident took place on the staircase along the temple path leading to the sanctum.

According to police officials, panic erupted after rumours of an impending electrocution spread among the crowd, triggering the deadly rush.Haridwar SSP Parmendra Singh Dobal said, “Prima facie, rumours of electric shock to a devotee panicked others at the spot leading to the stampede.”

Mr. Dobal told PTI Videos that 35 people had been rushed to a hospital, of whom six died. Officials stated that the incident occurred around 9:30 AM.

The State Disaster Response Force and fire brigade teams have been deployed to the site, they added.Read more: 10 Indian wildlife experiences that can rival international safarisAccording to eyewitness accounts, the chaos began when a sudden surge of devotees gathered near the temple entrance. An injured devotee while speaking to the news agency ANI, recounted how the swelling crowd led to panic. He said people started pushing in all directions, he then fell and fractured his hand while trying to get out.

The narrow route to the temple, combined with the overwhelming number of pilgrims, created a bottleneck that quickly spiraled into a deadly crush.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the incident. In a statement, he said, “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede on the route to Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon.

The local administration is assisting those affected.”

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also reacted, and assured that rescue efforts were underway. “It is extremely distressing to receive news of a stampede on the route to the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar. @uksdrf, local police, and other rescue teams have reached the site and are engaged in relief and rescue operations,” he said on social media. Dhami added that he is in constant touch with authorities and monitoring the situation closely.Read more: Planning a short trip during the Independence Day weekend: 5 destinations to avoid strictlyMansa Devi Temple is one of Haridwar’s most significant Shakti Peethas and draws lakhs of pilgrims each year. During Sawan, the numbers increase exponentially as devotees arrive from across the country, particularly the northern states.While rescue operations continue and authorities assess the scale of the tragedy, the incident has raised serious questions about crowd management during peak pilgrimage seasons. A more structured plan for handling the massive Sawan footfall is now urgently needed to prevent such tragedies in the future.