New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a stampede at Ashok Dham Temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai and conveyed his condolences to the families. "Pained by the loss of lives due to a stampede in Lakhisarai, Bihar. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is assisting those affected," PM Modi said.
The stampede occurred on Monday morning as thousands of devotees gathered at Ashok Dham Temple to offer prayers and perform Jalabhishek to Lord Shiva on the third Monday of the holy Sawan month. At least seven devotees have been confirmed dead, while more than a dozen others were injured and shifted to hospitals for treatment.
According to the Lakhisarai District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar, the queue of devotees had extended up to Ashok Dham Halt, where two trains had stopped. According to the District Magistrate, an electric pole located near the queue of male devotees suddenly fell.
He said that a rumour then spread that a live wire had fallen on people, although it was a cable wire. The rumour triggered panic and created pressure on the women's queue on the other side, resulting in women falling over one another.
The District Magistrate said that the incident happened suddenly within a span of around two minutes.
He added that emergency arrangements were already in place near the site, with ambulances and police personnel present within around 200 metres of the incident. The affected people were subsequently rushed to Sadar Hospital for treatment. Authorities are ascertaining further details regarding the casualties and the injured.
PM Modi, while expressing his condolences over the tragedy, also wished for the earliest recovery of those injured and said the local administration was assisting those affected. The administration is continuing to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and provide assistance to those affected.