Atleast 7 killed,several injured in Bihar's Ashokdham Temple stampede

At least seven devotees were killed and more than a dozen others injured in a stampede at the Ashokdham temple in Bihar's Lakhisarai district on Monday morning, according to media reports.The incident occurred around 6:40 a.m. amid a massive rush of devotees who had gathered at the temple to offer sacred water to Lord Shiva on the third Monday of the holy month of Shrawan, one of the most significant days for Shiva devotees.A large number of pilgrims arrived at Lakhisarai railway station on two trains and headed towards the temple, resulting in severe overcrowding near the shrine, according to sourecs. Most of the devotees were reportedly women.
Reports said the situation worsened after a bamboo barricade installed to manage the crowd collapsed. An electric pole at the site also snapped, triggering panic among devotees and leading to the stampede.Confirming the incident, Lakhisarai District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar said district officials were present at the site and immediately began efforts to bring the situation under control.The injured devotees were rushed to the Sadar government hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims.

VIDEO | Lakhisarai DM Shailendra Kumar says, "We have been there since around 3:30-4 pm. Everything was well organised. There was an unexpected surge in the crowd, and around 6:30-6:45 pm, two trains also stopped there, leading to an additional rush. As part of the police and… pic.twitter.com/OdRYFEHET5

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Ashokdham temple, known for attracting thousands of devotees during the month of Shrawan, is located close to the Lakhisarai railway station and remains one of the most visited Shiva temples in the region.The administration has launched an investigation into the incident, while security arrangements in and around the temple have been tightened to prevent further mishaps.