Hathras is not the first case… Major incidents of stampede in temples and religious events in India

New Delhi: Over 134 people died and many were injured in a stampede at a religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district on Tuesday. This is not the first incident of large number of people dying due to stampede in temples and other religious gatherings in India. Some such big incidents are the stampede at Maharashtra’s Mandhardevi temple in 2005 in which 340 devotees died and at least 250 people died in a stampede at Rajasthan’s Chamunda Devi temple in 2008. 162 people lost their lives in a stampede during a religious gathering at Himachal Pradesh’s Naina Devi temple in 2008. Some of the major stampede incidents during temples and religious gatherings in the country in recent years are as follows.

March 31, 2023 : At least 36 people were killed when a slab over an ancient stepwell collapsed during a havan programme organised to mark Ram Navami at a temple in Indore city.

1 January 2022 : At least 12 people were killed and over a dozen injured in a stampede caused by a massive rush of devotees at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir.

14 July 2015 : Twenty-seven pilgrims were killed and 20 others injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river on the first day of the ‘Pushkaram’ festival in Andhra Pradesh’s Rajahmundry district.

3 October 2014 : 32 people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna soon after the Dussehra celebrations ended.

13 October 2013 : 115 people were killed and more than 100 injured in a stampede during Navratri celebrations near the Ratangarh temple in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh. The stampede was triggered by a rumour of collapse of a bridge over a river which devotees were crossing.

19 November 2012 : Nearly 20 people were killed and many others injured in a stampede following the collapse of a temporary bridge during Chhath Puja celebrations at Adalat Ghat on the banks of river Ganga in Patna.

8 November 2011 : At least 20 people died in a stampede at the Har Ki Pauri Ghat on the banks of the river Ganga in Haridwar.

14 January 2011 : At least 104 devotees were killed and over 40 injured in a stampede after a jeep collided with pilgrims returning from the Sabarimala temple at Pulmedu in Kerala’s Idukki district.

4 March 2010 : About 63 people died in a stampede at Kripalu Maharaj’s Ram Janaki temple in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. People had come to take clothes and food being donated by the self-proclaimed religious leader.

30 September 2008 : Nearly 250 devotees were killed and more than 60 injured in a stampede caused by a bomb blast rumour at the Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur city of Rajasthan.

3 August 2008 : 162 people died, 47 injured in a stampede caused by rumours of rockslide at the Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh.

25 January 2005 : Over 340 devotees were crushed to death and hundreds injured during the annual pilgrimage to the Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra’s Satara district after some people fell on slippery stairs.

27 August 2003 : 39 people were killed and around 140 injured in a stampede during the holy bath at the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Maharashtra’s Nashik district.