Stampede kills 7 at Ashokdham Temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai

At least seven people died and more than a dozen were injured in a stampede at the Ashokdham Temple in Lakhisarai, Bihar, on Monday, August 17, 2026. The incident occurred around 6:45 a.m. as a massive crowd of devotees had gathered for prayers on the third Monday of the holy Shravan month.

The Lakhisarai District Magistrate, Shailendra Kumar, stated that the crowd "swelled in an unprecedented manner." He explained that around 6:30 a.m. to 6:45 a.m., two trains arrived simultaneously at the nearby Ashok Dham Halt station, adding significantly to the gathering of approximately 50,000 people. "Arrangements were made as we had anticipated the crowd. We then came to know that barricading broke on one side due to the crowd and people fell on each other," Kumar said. He added that emergency personnel rushed to the scene immediately.

Initial reports circulated that an electric pole had fallen and caused electrocution, sparking panic. However, during a press conference, Lakhisarai District Magistrate Kumar and Additional District Magistrate Neeraj Kumar clarified that the deaths were caused by the stampede and not electrocution. Officials said the power supply to the area was switched...