Nalanda: Police have arrested four people and registered a case against 20 individuals following the deadly stampede at the Sheetla Mata Temple, which left nine devotees dead and several others injured.
The incident occurred on Tuesday in Maghra village, under the Deepnagar police station area of Bihar Sharif, when a large number of devotees had gathered for worship on the last Tuesday of the Chaitra month.
Authorities said members of the temple’s Panda Committee are among those arrested, while others have been named in the first information report as part of an ongoing investigation.
Preliminary findings suggest that inadequate crowd management arrangements contributed to the tragedy. Investigators are also examining allegations that some individuals accepted money to allow devotees to bypass queues, leading to a sudden surge in crowd pressure and triggering the stampede.
Most of the victims were women and elderly devotees. Those who died have been identified as Rita Devi, Devanti Devi, Rekha Devi, Malo Devi, Chinta Devi, Kanti Devi, Asha Devi and Gudiya Devi. Several injured people are undergoing treatment after being rushed to nearby medical facilities.
The incident has prompted criticism of local authorities, with police facing allegations of failing to manage the crowd effectively. The station in-charge has been suspended following the tragedy.
Security measures have since been tightened at the temple, with officials reviewing barricading and entry and exit arrangements to prevent further incidents.
The state government has announced compensation for the families of the deceased and ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. Police said further arrests are likely as they continue to analyse CCTV footage and gather eyewitness accounts.
