Daijiworld Media Network - Uttar Pradesh
Barabanki (Uttar Pradesh), Jul 28: In a tragic incident that marred the sacred observance of Sawan’s third Monday, two devotees lost their lives and 29 others were injured in a stampede at the Awsaneshwar Mahadev temple in Haidergarh, Barabanki district, early Monday morning.
The chaos unfolded around 2 a.m., during the ‘Jalabhishek’ ritual, a significant act of devotion to Lord Shiva, which had drawn a massive crowd. The stampede was reportedly triggered by panic following an electric shock scare within the temple premises.
According to District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi, the panic began when a group of monkeys jumped onto an overhead electrical wire, causing it to snap and fall onto a metal shed inside the temple complex. This resulted in a live current briefly surging through the structure, sparking fear and confusion among the tightly packed crowd.
"It created a wave of panic. People began running in all directions, leading to the stampede," said a local police officer.
Two women died on the spot, while 29 others sustained injuries in the stampede. Medical teams were quickly mobilised, and the injured were transported to the Haidergarh and Trivediganj Community Health Centres. Several critically injured devotees were later referred to the district hospital for further treatment.
According to Chief Medical Officer Awadhesh Kumar Yadav:
• All but one patient at Haidergarh CHC have been discharged.
• At Trivediganj CHC, ten patients were admitted, with two declared dead on arrival, and the rest in stable condition.
Police had already been deployed at the temple due to the expected crowd, but additional forces were sent post-incident to restore order and assist in crowd management.
This tragedy follows closely on the heels of a similar stampede at Haridwar’s Mansa Devi Temple, where eight people were killed and over 30 injured just a day prior—also reportedly triggered by electric shock rumours.
The back-to-back incidents have raised serious questions about crowd management and safety protocols at major religious events, especially during high-footfall festivals like Sawan. Authorities are expected to review and reinforce security and infrastructure measures to prevent further such tragedies.