Barabanki: A tragic incident occurred at the Ausaneshwar Mahadev Temple in Barabanki during the third Monday of the holy month of Shrawan, when a stampede broke out in the temple premises, leading to the death of two devotees.
A total of 29 other devotees, including women and children were also injured in the mishap.
The stampede took place around 2 am during the Jalabhishek ritual. According to initial reports, the chaos was triggered after an electric current spread through the temple premises.
Authorities stated that the electric wires snapped and fell onto a tin shed inside the temple complex after some monkeys jumped on them, causing a short circuit.
As panic spread among the devotees due to the electric shock and the resulting commotion, a stampede broke out. Upon receiving information about the incident, a large police force was deployed to the site. The injured were immediately rushed to Haidergarh and Trivediganj Community Health Centres via ambulances. Those critically injured were referred to the district hospital.
District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi and Superintendent of Police Arpit Vijayvargiya, along with other senior officials, reached the spot to assess the situation. The DM confirmed the cause of the incident, stating that the broken electric wire had come into contact with the tin shed, leading to the current spread and subsequent chaos.
Among the deceased is Prashant (22), a resident of Mubarakpura, who died during treatment at the Trivediganj CHC. Another unidentified devotee also succumbed to injuries. Ten injured persons were brought to the CHC, out of which five in critical condition were referred for advanced treatment.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that the stampede ensued after rumors of electric current spread among the crowd, causing devotees to panic and rush for safety.
Authorities have since brought the situation under control, and two hours after the incident, the temple resumed normalcy, with devotees continuing to offer prayers and perform Jalabhishek in queues.
An investigation into the incident is underway, and officials have assured further safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
