Madhya Pradesh Stampede: Woman Dies, 7 Injured During Navgrah Temple Inauguration In Gwalior

Gwalior: A stampede-like situation during a temple inauguration claimed the life of a 70-year-old woman and left six others injured in Dabra town on Tuesday, February 10. 

The incident occurred during the highly anticipated inauguration of the Navgrah Temple. Thousands of devotees, mainly women, had gathered near the Dabra stadium early in the morning to participate in the Kalash Yatra, a traditional celebration involving sacred pots.

Chaos During Distribution

According to Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan, the festive atmosphere turned into panic and chaos during the distribution of the kalash (sacred pots). As officials began handing out the items, a sudden surge in the crowd led to a brawl.

Gwalior Range Inspector General Arvind Saxena stated that the excess number of people rushing forward simultaneously triggered the stampede-like conditions. 

Eyewitnesses described a scene of increased tension as the extreme number of devotees overwhelmed local arrangements, leading to pushing and shoving.

Casualties and Medical Response

The incident resulted in seven casualties in total, involving one 70-year-old woman, six women and one minor girl, who were reportedly injured.

Medical teams transported the victims to nearby facilities for medical treatment. Currently, three of the injured are undergoing intensive treatment in Gwalior, while four others are being cared for at a local hospital in Dabra.

Current Situation

After the incident, the district administration deployed additional security forces to manage the crowd. Collector Chauhan confirmed that the situation was brought under control shortly after the brawl. 

Despite the early morning tragedy, the Kalash Yatra was eventually allowed to proceed under heavy supervision. The procession followed its designated route and reached the Navgrah Temple without further disruption.

Authorities have assured that adequate arrangements are now in place to prevent a recurrence as the inauguration ceremonies continue. 

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