deadly-stampedes-in-india-a-look-at-major-incidents

Over 116 individuals lost their lives, and many others were injured in a stampede during a religious assembly in a village in the Hathras district on Tuesday.

Instances of large numbers of people dying in stampedes at temples and other religious gatherings have occurred in India over the years.

Some of the most significant stampede casualties at religious gatherings include the tragic loss of over 340 devotees at Maharashtra's Mandhardevi temple in 2005 and a toll of at least 250 at Rajasthan's Chamunda Devi temple in 2008. 

In addition, in 2008, a stampede at a religious gathering at Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh resulted in the loss of 162 lives.

Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country in recent years: 

1. March 31, 2023: At least 36 people died when the slab constructed on top of an ancient 'bawdi' or well collapsed during a 'havan' programme held on the occasion of Ram Navami at a temple in Indore city.

2. January 1, 2022: At least 12 people died, and over a dozen were injured in a stampede at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir triggered by a heavy rush of devotees.

3.  July 14, 2015: Twenty-seven pilgrims died, and 20 others were injured in a stampede at a major bathing spot on the banks of the Godavari river where a huge crowd of devotees had gathered on the opening day of 'Pushkaram' festival in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh.

4.  October 3, 2014: Thirty-two people were killed and 26 others injured in a stampede at Gandhi Maidan in Patna shortly after the Dussehra celebrations ended.

5.  October 13, 2013: 115 people were killed and over 100 injured in a stampede during the Navratri festivities near Ratangarh temple in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district. The stampede was triggered by rumours that a river bridge the devotees were crossing was about to collapse. 

6. November 19, 2012: Around 20 people were killed and many others injured as a makeshift bridge caved in, triggering a stampede during the Chhath Puja at Adalat Ghat on the bank of river Ganga in Patna. 

7. November 8, 2011: At least 20 people were killed in a stampede in Haridwar at Har-ki-Pauri ghat on the banks of the Ganga river.

8. January 14, 2011: At least 104 Sabarimala devotees were killed, and over 40 were injured in a stampede when a jeep crashed into homebound pilgrims at Pulmedu in Kerala's Idukki district.

9. March 4, 2010: About 63 people were killed in a stampede at Ram Janki Temple of Kripalu Maharaj in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district as people gathered to collect free clothes and food from the self-styled godman.

10.  September 30, 2008: Nearly 250 devotees were killed and over 60 injured in a stampede triggered by rumours of a bomb going off at Chamunda Devi temple in Rajasthan's Jodhpur city.

11.  August 3, 2008: 162 dead, 47 injured in a stampede triggered by rumours of rockslides at Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district.

12.  January 25, 2005: Over 340 devotees were trampled to death and hundreds injured during an annual pilgrimage at Mandhardevi temple in Maharashtra's Satara district. The accident occurred when some people fell down on the steps, which were made slippery by the devotees breaking coconuts.

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