Six Dead, Several Injured in Stampede at Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar

At least six devotees lost their lives and several others sustained injuries in a tragic stampede at the Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, on Saturday. The incident occurred on the staircases leading to the hilltop shrine as a massive crowd gathered to offer prayers during the auspicious Hindu month of Sawan.

Confirming the fatalities, Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey said a large congregation of devotees had gathered at the temple when the stampede broke out. He added that he was en route to the site to assess the situation firsthand.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami termed the incident “extremely distressing” and said he was in continuous touch with the local administration. “@uksdrf, local police, and other rescue teams have reached the site and are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I am in constant contact with the local administration regarding this matter, and the situation is being closely monitored. I pray to Mother Goddess for the safety and well-being of all devotees,” Dhami said in a statement.

Personnel from the Uttarakhand Police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have launched rescue and relief operations. Visuals from the site showed injured pilgrims being rushed to nearby hospitals in ambulances, while several others were seen receiving medical attention at the temple premises.

The tragedy unfolded amid a heavy inflow of devotees to Haridwar, which is witnessing a surge in religious pilgrimages due to the holy month of Sawan. The city, revered as one of Hinduism's most sacred destinations, sees lakhs of Kanwariyas—Shiva devotees—visit to collect water from the Ganga and offer it at Shiva temples across northern India.

Authorities are yet to release the identities of the deceased. Meanwhile, the local administration is working to control the crowd and ensure the safety of remaining pilgrims in and around the temple.

An official inquiry into the cause of the stampede is expected, even as questions are being raised about crowd management and preparedness in handling the annual Sawan rush.

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