An elderly woman lost her life and seven other women, including a four-year-old girl, were injured after a stampede-like situation broke out during a Kalash Yatra held as part of the Pran Pratishtha programme at the Navgrah Temple in Dabra, located in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior district, on Tuesday morning.
According to officials, a large number of women had gathered near a local stadium to take part in the religious procession and collect Kalash for the ceremony. Trouble began when the distribution started and many participants rushed forward at once, leading to heavy pushing and chaos. In the sudden crowd surge, several women fell or were trapped, resulting in injuries and one tragic death.
Mathura stampede women aged between 45 and 55
Among those injured, four women were admitted to a hospital in Dabra where their condition is said to be stable. Two other women and a minor girl were referred to hospitals in Gwalior for further treatment. Reports say all the injured women are between 45 and 55 years old, while the four-year-old girl had arrived at the event along with her mother.
District Collector Ruchika Chauhan explained the sequence of events, saying, “A Kalash Yatra was scheduled in Dabra this morning, and a large number of women had gathered near the stadium to carry the Kalash. When the distribution of the Kalash began, some participants tried to collect them quickly, leading to pushing and jostling. Due to the excessive rush and pressure, severe pushing occurred. In the incident, a 70-year-old woman died of suffocation and seven sustained injuries. Four women are currently undergoing treatment in Dabra, and their condition is stable. Three women, including a girl, were referred to Gwalior andare receiving treatment.”\
Sudden rush led to the unfortunate situation in Mathura
Speaking about arrangements at the venue, the collector said that adequate preparations had been made at the temple and nearby areas since morning. However, the sudden rush during the Kalash distribution led to the unfortunate situation.
She further added, “Since the event is scheduled to continue for several days, the administration will now strictly regulate crowd movement based on the capacity of each location. The crowds will be halted at different points once the permissible capacity of a venue is reached, and detailed planning is being carried out for the same.”
