A devastating stampede at the revered Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar early Sunday morning claimed six lives and left several others injured, triggering nationwide concerns over crowd safety at religious sites. The incident unfolded as thousands of devotees thronged the hilltop shrine atop Bilwa Parvat, which is accessible by a narrow footpath and a popular ropeway service.
Eyewitnesses reported that a sudden bottleneck on the pathway created a wave of panic, resulting in a crush that overwhelmed pilgrims who had little space to escape or breathe. Emergency services were quick to respond. Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, who arrived at the site soon after the incident, confirmed that police, fire personnel, and medical teams coordinated swift rescue operations. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, which remain on high alert.
Commissioner Pandey stated that an official report detailing the cause and sequence of the stampede would be released following the conclusion of rescue and relief efforts. The Mansa Devi Temple, a revered Siddh Peeth established in 1811 and part of Haridwar’s Panch Tirth pilgrimage circuit, attracts more than a million visitors annually, especially during auspicious periods. While the 2017 introduction of the “Mansa Devi Udankhatola” ropeway was meant to reduce congestion, Sunday’s tragedy has sparked serious questions about the effectiveness of such measures in the absence of robust crowd control strategies.
India’s history with stampedes at religious events is alarming. Past disasters like the 2013 Ratangarh bridge collapse that killed 115 and the 2024 Hathras tragedy that claimed 121 lives are grim reminders of the dangers posed by poorly managed large gatherings. A 2019 study of the Ardh Kumbh Mela found inadequate spatial planning and weak enforcement of safety norms to be consistent contributing factors. The Archaeological Survey of India has also recently flagged the growing threat of overcrowding at Uttarakhand’s heritage sites.
As the nation mourns yet another preventable tragedy, calls for systemic change in managing religious tourism are growing louder.
