‘Escaped jaws of death': Survivors recall panic, crush at Mansa Devi temple

Time of India

2 days ago

Haridwar: It was around 8.30 am on Sunday. Over 5,000 devotees were packed onto a narrow 5ft-wide pedestrian path leading to the Mansa Devi temple near Har Ki Pauri when panic swept through the crowd.
Within minutes, eight people lay dead and at least 28 were injured in a stampede triggered, according to survivors, by "rumours of live wires causing electrocution".
Sachin Saini from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur lost two cousins, Vipin (18) and Vicky Saini (19), in the chaos. "People started fleeing in fear after the rumours spread. Several fell to the ground and couldn't get up," he recalled.
Those who lived through the crush described a scene of confusion and terror.
Shambu Singh from Bihar had travelled with his friend Shakal Dev (38), who died in the stampede. "We were just a few metres from the shrine when the crowd suddenly surged. There was no space to move," he said.
Mohanlal from Rampur, grieving the loss of his six-year-old nephew Arush, said the temple gates had been shut due to overcrowding. "Pilgrims were stuck at the entrance. When people began moving back, everything spiralled into chaos," he said.
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The family had taken a dip in the Ganga and was headed to the temple for a mundan ceremony (head-shaving). Arush's aunt and four-year-old cousin remain in critical condition.
Rohit Sharma (21), from Mainpuri, who survived with injuries, said, "I am extremely lucky to have escaped the jaws of death. People were screaming and crying for help. I was praying to god to save me."
Vinod Shah (35), a devotee from Bhagnapur, described being trapped from both directions.
"The crowd had stalled completely. There were rumours that the temple gate was shut, and people coming down collided with those going up. Then people just started falling. By god's grace, I survived."
The path where the stampede happened is the oldest pedestrian route to the temple, involving a climb of nearly 700 steps to reach the shrine perched over 500ft above. It falls within Raja Ji National Park and, during heavy footfall, is restricted to one-way movement.
Officials said the rush swelled suddenly on Sunday.
After the stampede, the injured and deceased were transported to hospitals with locals joining police teams in the rescue effort. Gaurav Singh, a resident, said the panic escalated when people began climbing the walls. "Youths helped carry the injured up to the temple path and then down to the road using scooters and motorcycles," he said.
Survivors and locals blamed the tragedy on overcrowding and the dangerously narrow path. Many pointed out that it was the month of Shravan and a Sunday, conditions that guaranteed a heavy rush and said the administration should have made preparations accordingly.