A tragic stampede at the renowned Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, claimed six lives and left numerous devotees injured during Sunday morning prayers. The incident occurred around 9:00 AM on the pedestrian stairway leading to the sacred shrine.

Emergency response teams, including three units from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), immediately mobilized for rescue operations upon receiving reports of the tragedy. SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvansi confirmed that relief efforts commenced promptly after the incident was reported.

District Magistrate Mayur Dixit provided preliminary casualty figures, stating that six fatalities have been confirmed while approximately 10-15 individuals sustained injuries. The most critically injured victims have been transferred to advanced medical facilities for specialized treatment.

The cause of the stampede appears linked to panic that erupted when someone allegedly raised an alarm about a live electrical wire on the temple path. This warning created immediate chaos among the gathered devotees, according to eyewitness accounts shared by the district magistrate. However, authorities are conducting a thorough investigation to verify these claims and determine the exact sequence of events.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed profound grief over the incident and confirmed that he is maintaining direct communication with local authorities to monitor the ongoing rescue operations. He emphasized that SDRF personnel, local police, and additional rescue teams are actively engaged at the site.

Ujjwal Pundit, a temple priest affiliated with the Ganga Sabha, described the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. He noted that the foot-only access path created additional complications during the emergency response. Local merchants and residents initially struggled to comprehend the unfolding situation before ambulances arrived and community members assisted in evacuating the injured. Pundit also mentioned that a boundary wall near the pathway may have contributed to the stampede conditions.

A pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh who witnessed the incident estimated that approximately 20 people appeared injured from his observation point. Following the tragedy, temple authorities closed the shrine gates and directed all visitors to evacuate the premises.

The Mansa Devi Temple, dedicated to Goddess Mansa, sits prominently on Bilwa Parvat within the Shivalik Hills range. Located approximately three kilometers from the famous Har-Ki-Pauri ghat, the temple attracts thousands of devotees who can reach it either by trekking the 1.5-kilometer uphill trail or using the cable car ropeway system.

This incident highlights ongoing safety concerns at popular religious sites that experience heavy pilgrim traffic, particularly during peak worship periods when crowd management becomes critical for preventing such tragedies.