Heavy rush of devotees at the ISKCON temple in Bihar’s Patna on the occasion of the Janmashtami festival created a stampede-like situation on Monday evening, a police officer said. A few devotees might have suffered minor injuries, while the police brought the situation under control quickly, Patna SSP Rajeev Mishra said.
What did the police say?
“A huge number of devotees thronged the ISKCON temple on the occasion of Janmashtami festival in the evening. An adequate number of security personnel had already been deployed there. We engaged more personnel when the situation turned chaotic as the devotees tried to outpace one another. It was a tough time for the security personnel. The situation was, however, immediately brought under control. It was not a full-blown stampede,” Mishra said.
Video clips that went viral on social media showed security personnel trying to control the onrushing devotees at the temple. A few of them fell on the ground and they were helped by the security personnel.
“The situation is completely under control. Our top priority is to manage the rush of devotees first. Women security personnel have also been deployed in large numbers,” said the SSP. To a question, he said, “Some of the devotees might have suffered minor injuries.”
Patna district administration issues statement
Patna District administration also issued a statement on the incident. “There was no stampede at the ISKCON temple. Mild force was used to check those devotees who tried to enter temple premises by breaking police barricades. The situation is completely under control”.
At least seven people were killed and 16 others injured in a stampede at Baba Siddheshwar Nath Temple in Bihar’s Jehanabad district earlier this month.
(With PTI inputs)
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