Bihar: Stampede at Ashok Dham Temple on Sawan Somwar; 7 Dead, Several Injured

Published By: Mary Rose Baba

Updated: Mon, 17 Aug 2026 (15:26 IST)

A stampede at a temple in eastern India's Bihar state has left at least seven people dead and over a dozen injured, Indian media reported.

The incident took place at the Ashok Dham temple in the Lakhisarai district as a swell of devotees thronged the site to offer water to Lord Shiva on what Hindus consider an auspicious Monday of the ongoing holy month of Shravan.

Shivam Kumar, a senior police officer, told news agency ANI that an electric pole fell at the site, sparking panic that led to the stampede.

"We can tell you the exact reason only after verifying everything," he added.

Lakhisarai district magistrate Shailendra Kumar told ANI that a barricade broke because of the rush and people fell on each other.

He said at least 19 people with injuries were being treated in hospital.

VIDEO | Bihar: Stampede-like situation at Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai; several injuried.

A devotee says, "There were women standing in a queue. Around 10-12 women pushed their way in and started pushing us. We fell, and around 20-25 women fell on top of one another. Many… pic.twitter.com/ecaqF5VeQj

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 17, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the deaths in the incident.

"Pained by the loss of lives due to a stampede in Lakhisarai, Bihar. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. May the injured recover at the earliest. The local administration is assisting those affected," the prime minister's office quoted him as saying.

PM @narendramodi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF to be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the unfortunate incident in Lakhisarai, Bihar. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000. https://t.co/MpnGrBgvQD

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 17, 2026

Injured receiving treatment

A probe is underway to determine the cause of the crush.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said that his government had given orders for the injured to receive swift treatment.

"The news of the deaths of devotees in the accident has left my heart deeply distressed. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," he wrote in a post in Hindi on X.

लखीसराय के अशोकधाम की घटना अत्यंत दुःखद एवं हृदयविदारक है।

हादसे में श्रद्धालुओं की मृत्यु की खबर से मन व्यथित है। शोक संतप्त परिवारों के प्रति मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएं हैं।

घायलों के समुचित एवं त्वरित इलाज के लिए प्रशासन को आवश्यक निर्देश दिए गए हैं। ईश्वर दिवंगत आत्माओं को शांति…

— Samrat Choudhary (@samrat4bjp) August 17, 2026

Crowd crushes are relatively common in India during religious festivals. In March, nine people, mostly women, were killed in a stampede at another temple in Bihar's Nalanda district.