New Delhi, March 31 (NationPress) India's President, Droupadi Murmu, expressed profound grief on Tuesday regarding the tragic stampede at a temple in Nalanda, Bihar, which claimed the lives of eight individuals. The Vice President, C.P. Radhakrishnan, also shared his sorrow over the unfortunate event.

President Murmu took to the social media platform 'X' to convey her feelings: "The news of multiple devotees losing their lives in a stampede at a temple in Nalanda, Bihar, is incredibly distressing. I extend my heartfelt condolences to all affected families. I wish all the injured a swift recovery."

Vice President Radhakrishnan echoed her sentiment in a post on X, stating, "I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in the stampede in Nalanda, Bihar. My sincere condolences to the grieving families. I pray for the quick recovery of those injured in this sorrowful event."

Earlier, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his heartfelt grief and announced financial compensation for the victims.
The state has declared that each family of the deceased will receive Rs 6 lakh. Out of this, Rs 4 lakh will come from the Disaster Relief Fund and Rs 2 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Bihar's Water Resource Minister, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, stated that the government is taking the situation seriously and that the Chief Minister is consistently monitoring developments. He assured that all injured individuals are receiving proper medical care at the expense of the Bihar government.

Referring to the incident as “heart-wrenching,” the minister mentioned that immediate relief and rescue operations were initiated, with officials instructed to provide all necessary support to the victims and their families.

Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister, Vijay Kumar Sinha, also expressed sorrow, labeling it a deeply painful occurrence. He extended condolences to the grieving families and hoped for the quick recovery of the injured, assuring that the government will stand firmly with those impacted by the stampede.

The unfortunate event transpired at the historic Sheetla Mata Temple located in Maghra village under the jurisdiction of the Deepnagar police station, where a significant number of devotees had gathered to celebrate Sheetlashtami during the holy month of Chaitra.

In the midst of the large crowd, a sudden panic ensued, leading to the stampede.

Reports indicate that at least eight individuals, including seven women, have lost their lives, while dozens more have sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. Some reports suggest that the death toll may be higher, with officials working to confirm the exact numbers.

Eyewitness accounts indicate that the overwhelming crowd and insufficient space within the temple premises triggered sudden chaos, culminating in the stampede.

Rescue teams and local authorities promptly arrived at the scene and transported the injured to medical facilities.

Relief and rescue efforts are ongoing, with authorities set to investigate the underlying cause of the stampede and evaluate whether appropriate crowd management strategies were implemented.