A midnight religious ritual at the Awsaneshwar Mahadev temple in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, turned tragic when panic over an electric shock triggered a stampede, killing two devotees and injuring 29 others. The incident occurred during the early hours of July 28 as hundreds gathered for the sacred ‘Jalabhishek’ ritual on the third Monday of Sawan.
The tragedy unfolded around 2 am when reports of an electric shock spread through the crowd. According to the District Magistrate, the chaos began after monkeys jumped onto an overhead electric wire, causing it to snap and fall on the temple shed. The resulting shock sent waves of panic among the worshippers, leading to a stampede within the temple premises.
CM Yogi Announces Ex-Gratia as Injured Receive Treatment
Of the injured, several were taken to the Haidergarh and Trivediganj Community Health Centres, with those in critical condition later referred to the district hospital. “All except one patient brought to the Haidergarh Community Health Centre have been discharged,” said Awadhesh Kumar Yadav, Chief Medical Officer of Barabanki. “Ten people were brought to Trivediganj CHC, of which two were declared brought dead. The remaining are stable and being treated.”
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Police were already present at the site due to the large gathering, and additional forces were deployed immediately following the incident to manage the situation.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to each of the families of the deceased. According to an official statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, CM Adityanath has directed the local administration to ensure swift relief and rescue operations.
This tragic incident follows a similar stampede at Haridwar’s Mansa Devi Temple on the same day, where panic over possible electrocution led to the deaths of eight devotees and injuries to 30 more.
