New Delhi [India], August 17 : President Droupadi Murmu on Monday expressed grief over the deaths of devotees in a stampede in Bihar's Lakhisarai district and extended her deepest condolences to the bereaved families.
In a post on X, President Murmu said, "The news of the deaths of devotees in the stampede accident in Lakhisarai district of Bihar is extremely heartbreaking."
She expressed her condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the incident and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
"I express my deepest condolences to the grief-stricken families. I pray for the swift recovery of those who have been injured," she said.
The stampede occurred at Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai on Monday morning as thousands of devotees gathered to offer prayers and perform Jalabhishek to Lord Shiva on the third Monday of the holy Sawan month.
At least seven devotees have been confirmed dead, while more than a dozen others were injured and shifted to hospitals for treatment.
The incident occurred when a queue of devotees on the occasion of the third Monday of Sawan extended up to Ashok Dham Halt, where two trains had stopped. An electric pole located near the queue of male devotees suddenly fell. A rumour then spread that a live wire had fallen on people, although it was a cable wire.
The rumour led to panic and created pressure on the women's queue on the other side, causing women to fall over one another. The incident happened suddenly within a span of around two minutes.
Meanwhile, police and district administration personnel had been deployed in the area since around 3 am. Emergency services, including ambulances, were also present near the site.
The injured were subsequently shifted to Sadar Hospital and other nearby medical facilities for treatment. Authorities are continuing to ascertain further details regarding the incident and the number of people injured.