Ajay Tripathi
GOPALGANJ – A stampede at the Raja Dal puja pandal in Gopalganj on Monday evening resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including two women and a child. The local authorities have swiftly taken control of the situation.
According to reports, the incident was triggered by an overwhelming crowd at the Durga Puja pandal on the occasion of Navami, which was part of the nine-day Durga Puja festivities.
The chaos unfolded near Raja Dal, situated on Sugar Mill Road in the city. Consequently, access to the puja pandal was promptly closed off.
Gopalganj Superintendent of Police (SP) Swarna Prabhat said that a child had fallen into the crowd not far from the entrance of the Raja Dal Puja Pandal. In a bid to rescue the child, a commotion ensued, leading to the tragic crushing of two women in the tumultuous crowd. Despite immediate efforts to provide medical aid, both women succumbed to their injuries on the way to the hospital.
The SP assured that the local magistrate and the police force swiftly intervened to restore order. Currently, the situation has returned to normalcy.
In response to the incident, the organizers have urged devotees to disperse and return home. Furthermore, the movement of people and vehicles near Raja Dal on Station Road has been suspended.
