Uttarakhand: Six killed in stampede at Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar

A detailed report of the incident is awaited.

Six people have been reportedly killed and many others feared injured in a stampede after a huge crowd gathered at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, on Sunday.  A rescue and relief operation has been launched and the injured are being taken to hospitals.

"6 people dead in a stampede after a huge crowd gathered at the Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar. I am leaving for the spot," Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey told news agency ANI.

The incident unfolded amid an influx of devotees, reportedly leading to chaos and panic. As soon as information about the stampede came in, police and administrative teams were rushed to the site. Rescue and relief operations are underway. Authorities are in the process of identifying the victims and assessing the cause of the suspected electrocution.

Prime Minister Modi took to social media platform X to express his sorrow over the tragedy. "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede on the route to Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected," he wrote.

President Droupadi Murmu also expressed her grief in a statement, saying, "The news of the death of many devotees in the stampede accident on the way to the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar is deeply painful. I express my heartfelt condolences to all the grieving families. I pray that all the injured devotees recover quickly."

"SDRF, local police, and other rescue teams have reached the site and are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I am in constant contact with the local administration regarding this matter, and the situation is being closely monitored..." tweeted Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami.