Bihar: At least seven dead, 16 injured in stampede at Baba Siddhanath Temple

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At least seven people died and 16 others got injured in a stampede at Baba Siddhanath Temple in Makhdumpur, Jehanabad district, in the early hours of Monday, reported news agency ANI.

Confirming the incident, Jehanabad DM Alankrita Pandey told ANI, "At least seven people died and nine were injured in a stampede at Baba Siddhanath Temple in Makhdumpur, Jehanabad district. We are monitoring everything and now the situation is under control."

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Speaking to ANI, Divakar Kumar Vishwakarma, SHO Jehanabad said, "DM and SP visited the spot and they are taking stock of the situation...A total of seven people have died...We are meeting and inquiring about the family members (of the people dead and injured)...We are trying to identify the people (who have died), after this we will send the bodies for post-mortem..."

Meanwhile, Vikas Kumar, SDO Jehanabad, expressed his grief over the incident, saying "It is a sad incident...All the arrangements were tight, we are taking stock of the situation and then will further inform you about this...."

It appears that there was a dispute among the kanwariyas over some issue which was followed by an altercation and scuffle leading to the stampede, District Magistrate Alankrita Pandey told PTI.

The incident took place at around 11.30 pm on Sunday, she said, reported PTI.

More details awaited.

In another incident, three persons drowned in a pond in Bihar's Bhojpur district on Sunday, police said, reported PTI.

The incident took place in Majhauan, and the identity of the deceased was not disclosed by the district administration, reported PTI.

The local authorities handed over the bodies to their family members after post-mortem examinations, a district police officer said, reported PTI.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed condolences over the tragic incident and announced ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, reported PTI.

In another incident, two persons went missing after a boat capsized on Sunday morning.
"A small boat overturned in the middle of the Bagmati river. While seven or eight people managed to swim to the bank of the river, two others went missing", a senior official said.
The search operation is on, he added, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, the Bihar assembly premises, bungalows of several ministers nearby and several other places including hospitals in Patna were left water-logged following incessant rain in the state capital on Sunday, reported PTI.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inspected various affected areas to take stock of the situation.

The city experienced 41.8 mm of rain that inundated majority of posh localities and low-lying areas, including Strand Road, Rajbansi Nagar, Boring Road, Bailey Road and Patliputra Colony, besides causing disruption of vehicular movement.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)