Tragedy at Mansa Devi Temple: Six Killed, Panic Over Electric Shock Triggers Stampede

Haridwar — What was meant to be a peaceful Sunday morning for devotees at Haridwar’s sacred Mansa Devi Temple turned into a horrifying scene of panic and loss. A sudden rumour about an electric shock spread among the pilgrims, creating chaos and leading to a deadly stampede that left six people dead and dozens wounded.

Authorities report that the panic unfolded in a matter of minutes, as hundreds of devotees gathered for darshan at the temple’s premises. The fear of an electric current being active nearby caused people to rush blindly in all directions, trampling over each other in confusion and fear.

Emergency services were immediately mobilized. Police, fire teams, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel reached the site and began evacuating the injured. According to hospital sources, over 35 individuals were admitted, some of them with serious injuries.

The Haridwar district police have confirmed the six fatalities and stated that crowd control had been in place, but the rumour sparked a sudden, uncontrollable surge.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep sorrow over the incident and assured citizens that those responsible for spreading panic would not be spared. He also announced a magisterial-level investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and prevent such tragedies in the future.

In a post shared across his official handles, CM Dhami said the state administration is on full alert and that rescue operations were carried out swiftly. He also declared ₹2 lakh in compensation for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.

While the police are probing the cause of the rumour, the incident has triggered fresh concerns about crowd management at religious sites, especially during weekends and festivals when pilgrim numbers surge.

Local residents and devotees have questioned the temple board and civic authorities over safety arrangements. Many say that while heavy footfall is expected during holy periods, more structured planning is necessary to avoid such avoidable disasters.

As investigations continue, the district administration has appealed to the public not to spread misinformation. Helpline numbers have been activated for families trying to reach affected pilgrims.

What should have been a day of peace, prayer, and blessings ended in chaos — a tragic reminder of how quickly misinformation can spiral into irreversible loss.