Delhi Railway Station Stampede: The overcrowded New Delhi Railway Station turned into a horrific sight for thousands of passengers, mostly Mahakumbh pilgrims, as an overnight stampede claimed at least 18 lives. This tragic incident is not an isolated one, as India has witnessed several deadly stampedes over the years.
Just weeks ago, a similar tragedy struck the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, where a pre-dawn stampede on January 29 at the Sangam area left 30 dead and 60 injured as millions of devotees gathered for a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar.
One of the deadliest stampedes in recent years occurred on July 2 last year during a ‘satsang’ by self-styled godman Bhole Baba in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, claiming 121 lives, mostly women. Similarly, over 340 devotees lost their lives in a stampede at Maharashtra’s Mandhardevi temple in 2005, while at least 250 perished at Rajasthan’s Chamunda Devi temple in 2008. The same year, a stampede at a religious gathering at Himachal Pradesh’s Naina Devi temple claimed 162 lives.
List of some major stampedes
- July 2, 2024: More than 100 people, including women and children, were killed after a stampede broke out at a ‘satsang’ (prayer meeting) organised by a self-styled godman, Bhole Baba aka Narayan Saakar Hari, in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras.
- 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.
- 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.
- September 29, 2017: Twenty-three people lost their lives and 36 were injured in the stampede on the narrow bridge connecting the Elphinstone Road station of the Western Railway with Parel station of the Central Railway in Mumbai.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 made slippery by the devotees breaking coconuts.
- 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.
(With PTI Inputs)
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