Stampede During Pandit Pradeep Mishra’s Shiv Mahapuran Katha in Shatabdi Nagar (Meerut)

Uttar Pradesh – A stampede-like situation broke out on Friday afternoon at a Shivmahapuran event led by preacher Pradeep Mishra in Shatabdi Nagar, leaving several devotees injured. The incident occurred amid an overwhelming crowd surge, with approximately 2.5 lakh people attending the religious gathering.

According to officials, the pandemonium began when some women fell near the entry gates as the crowd surged. Though a few devotees suffered minor injuries, Meerut District Magistrate Deepak Meena dismissed reports of people being trapped in the stampede. He assured that the situation was under control, and immediate measures were taken to ensure safety.

Senior Superintendent of Police Vipin Tada told PTI that first aid was administered to the injured devotees and confirmed no deaths. “Adequate security forces have been deployed, and the situation is being closely monitored,” he added.

The event, a six-day-long recitation of the ‘Shiv Katha,’ had witnessed a significant surge in devotees, and crowd management became difficult. It is reported that the pandal was overcrowded, and thousands of devotees had to be accommodated outside the pandal to listen to the popular preacher.

District Magistrate Meena said that all the arrangements were made in advance, including security planning after a thorough inspection of the venue. However, the unexpected surge in attendees posed unforeseen challenges.

This is the second major incident in a month and a half. Earlier, another tragic stampede was witnessed at the Sandhya Theatre in Telangana while screening the movie Pushpa 2. One person was killed and another left critically injured. Legal action was taken against individuals responsible for the lapses.

This will mean that religious and entertainment events, which continue to attract huge crowds, need very robust crowd management strategies and strict safety protocols.

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मेरठ में पंडित प्रदीप मिश्रा की कथा में भगदड़ 20 से ज्यादा महिलाएं घायल !

बाउंसरों के रोके जाने से धक्का मुक्की हुई!
प्रदीप मिश्रा कथावाचक होकर बाउंसर रखता है!
ये पहले भी विवादों में रह चुका है!

समझ में नहीं आता महिलाएं कथा सुनने जाती ही क्यों हैं??#pradeepmishra #Meerut pic.twitter.com/E41A5ZNrpx

— ShivRaj Yadav (@shivaydv_) December 20, 2024