Haridwar Mansa Devi Temple Stampede: A Tragic Wake-Up Call
Haridwar, July 27, 2025 – A spiritual journey turned into a nightmare as a deadly stampede occurred near the revered Mansa Devi Temple, claiming eight lives and injuring over 30 devotees, including women and children.
⚠️ What Sparked the Tragedy?
The incident unfolded early Sunday morning, around 9:00 AM, on the narrow stairway leading to the temple in Haridwar. What began as a peaceful pilgrimage during the holy Shravan month quickly spiraled into chaos when a rumour of an electric shock spread through the densely packed crowd. Panic took over. People began rushing in every direction, trampling those who had fallen.
However, officials later confirmed that no electric wire had snapped and no current had been detected at the site. The Uttarakhand Power Corporation (UPCL) found no fault in their inspection.
📍 A Dangerous Bottleneck
The stampede occurred on a pathway barely 3 meters wide, surrounded by over 200 shops. The area was overcrowded with an estimated 15,000–20,000 people, many of whom were trying to access the temple for darshan.
Eyewitnesses reported a complete lack of police control, barricades, or medical aid on site. Several people described scenes of terror where children were lifted above heads, and devotees screamed “Peeche jao!” (move back) in desperation.
🕯️ Who Were the Victims?
Among those who tragically lost their lives were:
- Arush, 6, Rampur, UP
- Shanti Devi, 60, from Bihar
- Ram Bharose, 65
- Vicky Saini, 18
- Vakeel Prasad, 45
- Vipin Saini, 19
- Others from Bihar and Uttarakhand
Over 30 injured devotees were rushed to hospitals in Haridwar, with critical cases transferred to AIIMS Rishikesh.
🛑 Delayed Response & Accountability
The absence of police and crowd control raised serious questions. Survivors accused shopkeepers of blocking shelter and temple authorities of ignoring capacity warnings. The Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, has announced:
- ₹2 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased
- ₹50,000 to the injured
- A magisterial inquiry into the cause of the stampede
Additionally, the Mansa Devi Trust has pledged ₹5 lakh for each victim’s family and ₹1 lakh for those injured.
🧠 Lessons to Learn
This tragedy is not just about one event—it’s about systemic neglect:
- Lack of proactive crowd management
- Encroached pathways with no alternate exits
- Missing police deployment despite festival rush
Authorities have promised stricter measures for upcoming pilgrimage seasons, including removal of encroachments, better barricading, and digital crowd monitoring.
