Stampede at Shivneri Fort in Pune during Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti celebrations; several devotees injured, reports say

A stampede took place in Shivneri Fort, Pune

A stampede like situation was reported at Shivneri Fort in Junnar during celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, leaving 15 to 20 devotees injured, according to News18. No serious injuries were reported.

The incident occurred past midnight as a massive crowd gathered at the historic fort, the birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj. The birth anniversary of the founder of Hindavi Swarajya is being celebrated across Maharashtra with enthusiasm, and as in previous years, youths from across the state carrying the Shiv Jyot, members of various organisations and large numbers of Shiv devotees had assembled at the site.

Chants of “Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji” filled the area from midnight onwards. However, the turnout reportedly exceeded the fort’s capacity, leading to overcrowding in several narrow stretches.

According to the report, the pathways below the Ambarkhana, along with the Hatti Darwaza and Ganesh Darwaza areas, are particularly narrow. Thousands of devotees attempted to pass through these routes simultaneously. At the same time, a large number of people were descending from the fort while others were trying to make their way up.

With little space available and heavy two-way movement, several people in the crowd resorted to pushing each other, reports said. In the resulting chaos, several devotees fell and sustained injuries.

Further details from authorities are awaited.