A deadly stampede at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, killed nine people and injured 28 others on Sunday morning, July 27, 2025. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. on the pedestrian route leading to the hilltop temple, where more than 5,000 devotees had gathered.
The victims were identified as Shanti Devi, 60, and her husband Rambharose, 65, both from Badaun, Uttar Pradesh; Sakal Dev, 35, from Araria, Bihar; Arush, six, Vicky Saini, 18, and Vishal Kumar, 19, all from Rampur, Uttar Pradesh; Vakeel Prasad, 45, from Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh; and Vipin Saini, 19, from Kashipur, Udham Singh Nagar. Among those critically injured were Diksha, 26, and her daughter Akankshi, four, from Rampur; Phoolmati, 52, from Lucknow; and Kavita, 23, from Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.
Officials at AIIMS Rishikesh reported that 15 people were brought to the hospital, with five discharged, four admitted to the ICU ward, and six in other wards. The stampede was reportedly triggered by rumors of electrical wires causing electrocution, according to area Station House Officer Ritesh Shah. He indicated the crowd flow was nothing unusual for the morning, noting they had seen larger crowds during special occasions like the Kanwar Yatra and Ganga Dussehra.
Shah explained that the stampede may have been caused by rumors after a few youngsters climbed the wall, causing devotees to panic and fall on each other. Videos from the spot showed a massive rush of people, including children and women, at the narrow entrance of the temple. On any given day, six police personnel are present inside the temple premises and two stationed at the entrance of the pedestrian route, according to Shah.
Survivor accounts revealed additional details about the chaos. Nirmala, 28, who lost her eight-year-old son Arush in the stampede, described how she tightly clutched her two children as they ascended the ramp around 8 a.m. She fell but maintained her grip on her children as the massive crowd exiting through the same ramp collided with those entering. A man eventually helped cover all three with his arms and carried them to nearby shops, but shopkeepers refused to let them in during the panic.
Another survivor, Anita Kumari, criticized the lack of crowd control measures, noting there was no barricading and suggesting there should be a cap on the number of pilgrims entering the temple. Staff managing the ropeway infrastructure estimated that around 20,000 people reached the temple between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Sunday.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the hospital to assess the condition of the injured and announced compensation of 200,000 rupees for families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees for each injured person. He also ordered a magisterial probe into the incident, directing the Haridwar District Magistrate to provide urgent relief and assistance to all victims and their families.
District Magistrate Mayur Dixit confirmed that the pedestrian route was immediately closed after the incident to avoid additional pressure at the site. He noted that people died of chest injuries and no one died of electrocution. The detailed magisterial probe was ordered, with the investigation team headed by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate who was asked to submit a report within 15 days.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives. Modi stated his condolences to those who lost loved ones and hoped the injured would recover soon. Later in the day, Mahant Ravindra Puri, president of the Mansa Devi temple trust, announced 500,000 rupees for families of the deceased and 100,000 rupees for the injured.
The Mansa Devi Temple, considered a sidhpeeth, is situated on the Bilva hilltop in Haridwar at 1,770 feet above sea level on Sivalik Hills. The temple is accessible by both ropeway and pedestrian route and attracts large numbers of pilgrims year-round. The temple is one of the five sacred sites or Panch Tirthas of Haridwar and is located in the vicinity of the Haridwar range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
The Uttar Pradesh government announced financial assistance of 200,000 rupees each to families of deceased residents from the state. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to coordinate with the Uttarakhand government to ensure the mortal remains of deceased Uttar Pradesh residents were transported to their respective home districts and handed over to their families.
This incident represents the latest in a series of stampedes at Hindu religious gatherings in India. In June, a sudden crowd surge at a Hindu festival in Odisha killed at least three people and injured several others. The previous month saw six people crushed to death in Goa after thousands gathered for a popular fire-walking ritual. In January, at least 30 people were killed in an early morning crush at the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district.
