8 Killed, Dozens Injured In Stampede At Sheetla Temple In Bihar’s Nalanda

As many as eight devotees, most of them women, were killed in a stampede at a temple in Nalanda district of Bihar on Tuesday morning, with several others injured.

The incident took place at the Sheetla Temple in Maghra, under the Deepnagar police station area. Officials fear the death toll may rise as some of the injured are in critical condition.

Preliminary reports suggest the stampede was triggered by overcrowding and inadequate arrangements at the temple. However, authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause or the official number of fatalities.

Rescue and relief operations were launched soon after the incident, with ambulances rushing to the spot and local officials, including the SDM, reaching the site.

Heavy Rush In Temple On Tuesdays

The temple witnesses a large influx of devotees every Tuesday. On the day of the incident, thousands had gathered to offer prayers, but security and crowd management arrangements appeared insufficient.

A sudden surge in the crowd reportedly led to the stampede, though the exact sequence of events remains unclear.

#WATCH | Bihar: A stampede occurred during puja at Maa Sheetla Mandir in Maghra village of Nalanda. Injuries reported, deaths feared. More details awaited.

Visuals from the spot as an ambulance reaches here. pic.twitter.com/1UU0kwN6OA

— ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2026

The injured were taken to Sadar Hospital for treatment. Following the incident, the temple premises were evacuated, and a heavy police presence was deployed to manage the situation and maintain order. 

Questions Over Security Arrangements

The incident comes on the same day as the convocation ceremony of Nalanda University in Rajgir, which is expected to be attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary.

The timing has raised questions over whether security resources were stretched or diverted due to the high-profile event, potentially impacting arrangements at the temple.

(With inputs from Amritesh Kumar)