Breaking: Narrow Lanes and Sudden Crowd Surge Cause Deadly Stampede at Haridwar’s Mansa Devi Temple

A deadly stampede occurred at Haridwar’s Mansa Devi temple due to a sudden surge of pilgrims on a Sunday, resulting in the death of seven devotees and injuring many others. The temple’s narrow, steep lanes became overcrowded as a large number of people arrived for darshan, especially during the holy month of Sawan and weekend rush. This created a severe bottleneck, making it extremely difficult for devotees — including children, women, and elderly — to navigate safely. The narrow pathways and steep climb added to the chaos, turning the crowd into a dangerous crush. Many pilgrims were carrying small children, further complicating the situation. Despite regular crowds during this season, the temple administration was unable to control the sudden influx, leading to panic and a tragic stampede. Authorities responded quickly after receiving information about the incident. Injured individuals were rushed to nearby hospitals, while police and district officials, including the Garhwal commissioner, rushed to the site to manage the situation. The police confirmed seven deaths and are investigating possible lapses in crowd control. Officials have urged devotees to exercise caution, plan visits carefully, and follow safety guidelines to prevent such tragedies in the future.