Festivals Turned Fatal: 7 Major Temple Stampedes
From Srikakulam to Maha Kumbh, here is a list of 7 stampedes that have occurred during religious events in this decade:
With a population exceeding 1.3 billion, India is no stranger to large crowds, particularly religious gatherings. Unfortunately, some gatherings can turn dangerous, swiftly turning into deadly stampedes that leave countless families devastated. Similarly, today's tragic stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kashibugga, Srikakulam, claimed the lives of nine people during the Karthika Ekadashi celebrations.
From Srikakulam to Maha Kumbh, here is a list of 7 stampedes that have occurred during religious events in this decade:
Kashibugga Venkateswara Temple - On 1 November, 2025, at least nine people were killed in a stampede within the premises of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kashibugga in the Srikakulam district. Thousands of devotees visited the temple on account of Karthika Ekadashi - well beyond the temple's 2,000-3,000-person capacity - resulting in a stampede.
Haridwar's Manda Devi Temple - On 27 July, 2025, during the month of Sawan, a rumour about the electric current near Haridwar's Mansa Devi Temple's stairway caused panic amongst devotees, resulting in a stampede that killed at least six people and left several more injured.
Shirgao's Sri Lairai Devi Temple - On 3 May, 2025, six people died and nearly 100 people were injured in the stampede within the grounds of the Sri Lairai Devi Temple, located in the Goan village of Shirgao. During the early hours of the religious festival Lairai, thousands flocked to the revered temple, resulting in overcrowding.
Maha Kumbh's Sangam - On January 29, 2025, crores of pilgrims rushed to participate in 'Amrit Snan', leading to a stampede that took 30 lives and left 60 injured.
Tirumala's Venkateswara Swamy Temple - On January 8, 2025, while hundreds of people hurried for tickets to the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala Hills, six devotees lost their lives and over a dozen more were injured.
Uttar Pradesh's Hathras - On July 2, 2024, 100-120 people were killed in a satsang-turned-stampede within the city of Hathras; a policeman-turned-preacher organised the prayer meeting, Narayan Saakar Hari aka Bhole Bhaba.
J&K's Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine - On January 1, 2022, twelve devotees lost their lives and over a dozen more sustained injuries in a New Year's stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from the large number of people, it was reported that the chaos resulted from a scuffle within the crowd.
The article has been authored by Tejarsree Kallakrinda, an intern at Deccan Chronicle.