Stampede at Haridwar’s Mansa Devi Temple Leaves 6 Dead, Several Injured

At least six people were killed and several others injured in a stampede at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, on Sunday morning. The tragedy occurred around 9 a.m. on the stairway route leading to the hilltop shrine, a popular pilgrimage site especially crowded during festivals and weekends.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) commandant Arpan Yaduvansi confirmed that three teams were dispatched immediately and are currently engaged in relief and rescue operations.

Haridwar District Magistrate Mayur Dixit said that 10–15 people were injured in the incident, some of whom have been referred to higher medical centres due to the severity of their condition.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief, stating, “Deeply saddened by the tragic news… I am in constant touch with the local administration and closely monitoring the situation.” He also assured that all necessary assistance is being provided to the victims.

Preliminary reports suggest the stampede may have been triggered by panic, after someone allegedly shouted about a live electric wire along the path. Authorities have not yet confirmed this, and an investigation is ongoing. “We are verifying eyewitness accounts and assessing the cause,” Dixit added.

Local eyewitness Ujjwal Pundit, a teerth purohit with the Ganga Sabha, said confusion spread rapidly because the stairway path is accessible only by foot, causing bottlenecks. A nearby boundary wall is also believed to have worsened the crowding.

A pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh reported seeing about 20 injured and said the temple was immediately closed, with all devotees asked to return.

Located atop Bilwa Parvat on the Shivalik Hills, the Mansa Devi Temple is a major spiritual destination dedicated to Goddess Mansa, drawing thousands of devotees daily. It is about 3 km from Har-Ki-Pauri and is reachable via a 1.5 km trek or ropeway.

Authorities continue to assess the situation, and further updates are awaited as the investigation progresses.