The Nalanda stampede at the Sheetla Mata Temple in Bihar left eight devotees dead and several others injured. The tragic incident happened during a religious gathering when thousands of people gathered for prayers at the temple in Nalanda district.
After the Nalanda stampede, Bihar Director General of Police Vinay Kumar inspected the temple and raised serious concerns about management failures. He said the temple authorities focused more on collecting donations instead of arranging proper facilities for the large crowd.
The DGP also pointed out structural issues in the temple. According to him, the steep stairs and poorly designed entry and exit routes increased the risk of chaos during heavy gatherings.
Officials said around 25,000–30,000 devotees had gathered at the temple. However, there was no proper crowd control, drinking water facility, or emergency medical centre at the site.
Police have started reviewing CCTV footage to identify the cause of the incident. Authorities said strict legal action will follow if negligence by the temple management or officials is confirmed.
