A tragic incident unfolded at a popular Hindu temple in northern India, resulting in the death of at least six people and injuries to others. The incident occurred in the city of Haridwar, Uttarakhand, at the Mansa Devi hilltop temple, a significant site for Hindu devotees, especially during weekends and festivals.

According to reports, a high-voltage electric wire fell on a temple path, triggering panic among the large crowd of worshippers. Vinay Shankar Pandey, a senior government official in Uttarakhand, confirmed the deaths and stated that the worshippers scrambled for safety following the incident. Thousands of pilgrims had gathered at the temple. Police and emergency services promptly responded to the scene to launch a rescue operation, and the injured were transported to nearby hospitals.

Pandey told the Associated Press that the situation is now under control, but the panic led to tragic consequences. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the overhead wire collapse and whether proper crowd management protocols were in place. The temple town attracts millions of visitors annually.

Unfortunately, crowd surges at religious gatherings are not uncommon in India. Massive groups often congregate at temples or pilgrimage sites, sometimes overwhelming local infrastructure and security measures. In similar incidents, three people were killed and more than a dozen hospitalized after a crowd surge at a Hindu festival in eastern India. In 2024, at least 12 people were killed and 15 injured in a crowd surge at a popular Hindu shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Other incidents include a 2016 stampede in Uttar Pradesh that killed at least 24 and a 2005 stampede in western India that killed 258 people.