Stampede at Haridwar's Mansa Devi Temple Kills 6; Short Circuit Rumor Triggers Panic

A tragic stampede at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar has claimed the lives of six devotees and injured over 20 others. The incident occurred on a crowded Sunday during the holy month of Sawan, when thousands of pilgrims had gathered for darshan. According to eyewitnesses and initial reports, the stampede was triggered by a rumor of an electric current spreading through the area due to a short circuit.ABP News conducted a ground investigation at the suspected site where the rumor started. Locals and pilgrims claimed that a spark from a pole caused panic, leading to mass chaos. People began to rush downward while others were still climbing up, resulting in a deadly collision and stampede. Visual evidence shows shoes, slippers, and personal belongings scattered at the site, with no visible police presence during the chaos.District officials suggested the short circuit might have been caused by people pulling wires while trying to climb walls to escape the crowd. The Congress party and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav have blamed the BJP-led state government, citing poor crowd management and lack of police deployment despite known weekend pilgrim surges during Sawan. An official inquiry has been ordered into the incident.