A tragic incident occurred at the Ausaneshwar Mahadev Temple in Barabanki during the third Monday of the holy month of Shravan, when a stampede took place in the temple premises, leading to the death of two devotees and injuries to 29 others, including women and children.
The stampede took place around 2 AM during the Jalabhishek ritual.
According to initial reports, the chaos was triggered after news of an electric short circuit spread among people present at the premises.
Authorities stated that the electric wires snapped and fell onto a tin shed inside the temple complex after some monkeys jumped on them, causing a short circuit. Panic spread among the devotees resulting in commotion, and then a stampede.
Upon receiving information about the incident, a large police force was rushed to the site.
The injured were immediately rushed to Haidergarh and Trivediganj Community Health Centres (CHCs) on ambulances.
Those critically injured were referred to the district hospital.
District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi and Superintendent of Police Arpit Vijayvargiya, along with other senior officials, reached the spot to assess the situation. The DM confirmed the cause of the incident, stating that the broken electric wire had come into contact with the tin shed, leading to the spread of electric current. This caused fear among people, leading to chaos.
Among the deceased is Prashant (22), a resident of Mubarakpura, who died during treatment at the Trivediganj CHC. Another unidentified devotee also succumbed to injuries. Ten injured were brought to the Community Health Centre (CHC), including five in critical condition, who were referred for advanced treatment.
Eyewitnesses also said that the stampede ensued after news of an electric current spread among the crowd, causing devotees to panic and rush for safety.
Authorities have since brought the situation under control, and two hours after the incident, the temple resumed normalcy, with devotees continuing to offer prayers and perform Jalabhishek in queues.
An investigation into the incident is underway, and officials have assured further safety measures to prevent such tragedies.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his grief over the incident and has directed the district officials to provide all assistance to the injured and the families of the deceased.