Haridwar Mansa Devi Temple Stampede: 8 Dead, 30 Injured; Magisterial Probe Ordered

A tragic stampede at the revered Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar claimed eight lives and left around 30 others injured on Sunday morning. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. when panic spread among a massive crowd of devotees after a rumour that an electric wire had snapped.

Eyewitnesses and videos from the scene revealed a chaotic situation on the narrow stairway leading to the hilltop shrine, where thousands had gathered for darshan. The tightly packed crowd left little room to move, and many devotees — including children — were seen gasping for air. Some people tried to climb walls to escape, while others were caught in the stampede.

Those who lost their lives ranged in age from 12 to 60 and were from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttarakhand. After rescue teams cleared the area, belongings such as slippers, clothes, and puja items lay scattered across the temple grounds.

Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Singh Dobal confirmed that police and SDRF teams were immediately deployed, with rescue operations continuing for several hours. The Haridwar administration and the Mansa Devi temple committee have since met to review crowd control measures, especially in light of festival days and weekends when footfall is highest.

Temple trust president Ravindra Puri announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh each for the families of the deceased and ₹1 lakh for the injured. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also expressed his condolences and declared additional compensation of ₹2 lakh for each victim's family and ₹50,000 for the injured. He visited the injured in hospital and assured them of full support from the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also conveyed his condolences in a message posted on X, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.

Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede on the route to Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 27, 2025

In response to the tragedy, Haridwar District Magistrate Mayur Dixit has ordered a magisterial inquiry. A Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) will lead the probe and submit a detailed report within 15 days.

Helpline numbers have been issued for those seeking information about loved ones affected by the stampede.

The Mansa Devi temple, located at an altitude of 1,770 feet in the Shivalik Hills, is one of the most visited shrines in northern India, especially during festivals and weekends.