Panic Over Electric Shock Triggers Stampede at Barabanki Temple, Leaving Two Dead

Barabanki (UP): A stampede at the Awsaneshwar Mahadev temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district claimed the lives of two devotees and left 29 others injured in the early hours of Monday.

The tragedy unfolded during a religious gathering in the Haidergarh area, where a large crowd had assembled for 'Jalabhishek' on the third Monday of Sawan, a sacred occasion for Lord Shiva devotees.

According to officials, the ritual began at midnight, and by around 2 a.m., the temple premises were packed with worshippers. Panic broke out after reports of an electric shock spread through the crowd.

Barabanki District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi stated that the panic was triggered when monkeys jumped onto an overhead electric wire, causing it to snap and fall onto a metal shed inside the temple. The contact caused an electric current to surge through the structure, sparking alarm among the devotees.

As word of the electric shock circulated, people began to flee in all directions, resulting in a stampede. Two people died on the spot, while 29 sustained injuries.

The injured were rushed to the Haidergarh and Trivediganj Community Health Centres. Those in serious condition were later referred to the district hospital for further treatment.

Chief Medical Officer Awadhesh Kumar Yadav confirmed that all but one patient admitted to the Haidergarh CHC have been discharged. “Ten people were brought to the Trivediganj CHC, where two were declared dead. The rest are in stable condition and receiving treatment,” he added.

Police had already been stationed at the temple due to the anticipated crowd. Following the incident, additional forces were deployed to manage the situation and ensure crowd control.

This tragedy comes just a day after a similar incident at Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, where eight people were killed and 30 injured in a stampede reportedly caused by fears of an electric shock.

With inputs from IANS