A stampede at Kubereshwar Dham in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, killed two women and injured several others. The incident occurred ahead of the Kanwar Yatra due to heavy crowds and poor crowd control.
On Tuesday, a tragic stampede occurred at Kubereshwar Dham in Madhya Pradesh’s Sehore district. Two women lost their lives, and nearly a dozen people were seriously injured. The area was overcrowded as thousands of devotees had gathered ahead of the Kanwar Yatra scheduled for August 6.
The rush started near a puja material shop when a large group tried to enter at once. The crowd pressure caused many to fall. In the panic and confusion, two women were crushed and died on the spot. Others fainted, and some were injured due to suffocation and the fall.
Overcrowding before the main event
Even though the Kanwar Yatra was planned for the next day, thousands had already reached Kubereshwar Dham. The crowd was far larger than expected. Authorities had made arrangements for 4,000 pilgrims, but the number was much higher.
Injured rushed to hospital
Several people who collapsed were taken to the Sehore district hospital and trauma center. However, due to the crowd and traffic, it took almost 90 minutes to move the injured. Volunteers and local police helped shift the victims. Senior police officers, the district collector, and IG Bhopal reached the site to review the situation. Additional SP Sunita Rawat confirmed the deaths and said that crowd control will now be tightened.
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CM Mohan Yadav on Kubereshwar Dham stampede
Reacting to the stampede at Kubereshwar Dham, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav called it a “tragic incident” and said he had directed officials to take immediate action. “I have been informed about the unfortunate accident. I have asked authorities to look into it seriously. Steps will be taken to ensure such tragedies are not repeated,” he said.
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Heat, humidity made things worse
The area was very hot and humid. Many devotees fainted due to the heat. There were also long lines for water and food. People were seen setting up tents in any open space they could find.
Traffic and chaos on the highway
The Indore-Bhopal highway near Kubereshwar Dham was blocked due to heavy traffic. Ambulances found it hard to reach the spot. Devotees and their families were seen stuck for hours in the jam.
This is not the first stampede at this location. A similar tragedy happened in February 2023 during the Shiv Mahapuran Katha and Rudraksh Mahotsav. That incident also saw chaos and injuries, raising serious concerns about crowd safety.
The immediate chaos has now been brought under control. However, the crowd continues to grow as more devotees arrive for the Kanwar Yatra. The area remains overcrowded, with long lines for food and no proper shelter in place.