Rush at Patna's ISKCON Temple Nearly Causes Stampede During Janmashtami

A heavy rush of devotees at Patna's ISKCON temple on Janmashtami evening almost led to a stampede. Quick action by police helped to control the situation with only minor injuries reported. Videos showed security managing the crowd and aiding those who fell. The district administration confirmed no stampede occurred.

Patna's ISKCON temple witnessed a near-stampede situation during the Janmashtami festivities as a surge of devotees struggled to enter the premises, according to police reports. Quick intervention by the police prevented a full-blown stampede, although a few minor injuries were reported.

Patna SSP Rajeev Mishra addressed the media, noting the challenging task faced by security personnel in managing the overwhelming crowd. Despite the chaos, the situation was swiftly controlled. "It was not a full-blown stampede," Mishra emphasized, confirming deployed personnel and additional forces were instrumental in maintaining order.

Numerous video clips that surfaced on social media depicted the tense scene, showing security endeavoring to manage the throngs of devotees, some of whom fell but were promptly assisted. Women's security teams were also on site to aid in crowd control.

The Patna District administration released a statement clarifying that no stampede had occurred, attributing the effective management to the use of mild force to hinder devotees trying to breach police barricades. This incident comes shortly after a tragic stampede at another temple in Bihar's Jehanabad district that resulted in seven fatalities and several injuries.

(With inputs from agencies.)