Two people died, including a man identified as 22-year-old Prashant from Mubarakpura village under Lonikatra police station, and at least 40 others were injured in a stampede-like situation at the Awsaneshwar Mahadev Temple in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, early Monday morning during the Jalabhishek ritual on the third Monday of the holy month of Sawan.
The incident occurred around 3 am in Haidergarh when an old overhead electric wire snapped after monkeys jumped onto it, causing the wire to fall on a tin shed and transmit electric shocks to about 19 devotees, sparking panic and resulting in a stampede.
Both deceased died during treatment at the Trivediganj Community Health Centre. District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi confirmed the cause and assured that the situation is under control.
Electric Shock Triggers Panic and Stampede
The tragedy unfolded during the early hours of Monday as thousands of devotees had gathered for the Jalabhishek ritual, a sacred water offering, on the spiritually significant third Monday of Sawan. According to eyewitness accounts and officials, the incident began when monkeys damaged an old electric wire overhead which then snapped and fell on the temple’s tin shed.
This led to electric shocks affecting nearly 19 people, causing immediate panic among the crowd. The ensuing chaos escalated into a stampede as devotees tried to frantically escape the electric current. Emergency services and police responded swiftly, transporting the injured to Haidergarh and Trivediganj Community Health Centres, with serious cases referred to Barabanki District Hospital.
Local police reassured that they were already deployed for crowd management, and additional forces were quickly mobilised post-incident.
Context and Broader Implications of Safety at Mass Religious Gatherings
The Awsaneshwar Mahadev Temple, located in the Haidergarh area of Barabanki, is a prominent pilgrimage site, especially during the month of Sawan when Lord Shiva devotees converge in large numbers. This incident highlights the vulnerabilities posed by aging infrastructure like electrical wiring and the dangers of overcrowding in places of worship, where safety protocols may be inadequately enforced.
The barabanki tragedy follows a similar catastrophic stampede at the Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar just the day before, also triggered by rumours of electric shock, signalling a distressing pattern of safety oversight amid religious fervor. Authorities have pledged enhanced security and safety measures to avoid recurrence, but such events emphasize the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades, emergency preparedness, and effective crowd control in sacred spaces.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This heartbreaking episode starkly reminds us of the imperative for rigorous and compassionate safety standards at religious sites that host mass gatherings. The loss of lives and injuries suffered are a poignant call to action for temple authorities, civic officials, and communities to collaborate proactively in ensuring the sanctity of spiritual traditions is preserved without compromising human safety.
Beyond technical modifications, there is a greater social and moral obligation on administration, local governance, and communities to foster dialogue and empathetic collaboration. Religious faith and ritual are essential components of many people’s lives, offering solace and communal bonding. However, these sacred practices must never come at the cost of human lives or safety compromises.
The Logical Indian stresses that empathy, preparedness, and collective responsibility must guide efforts to protect devotees, honouring faith alongside modern safety protocols.
#UttarPradesh: 19 people injured in a stampede-like situation after an electric wire fell on a tin shed, causing many people to come in contact with the live wire in Barabanki.
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 28, 2025
The incident occurred outside the ancient Ausaneshwar Mahadev Temple, where devotees had lined up for… pic.twitter.com/6Bz4uAcHtm
