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by IANS |
Patna, March 31 (IANS) In the aftermath of the tragic stampede at the Sheetla Mata Temple in Maghra village of Nalanda district, in which 8 people were killed, the administration has taken strict action against police personnel for alleged negligence that led to the tragedy.
Following preliminary findings of serious security lapses, Nalanda Superintendent of Police, Bharat Soni, suspended the Station House Officer (SHO) of Deepnagar Police Station, Rajmani, with immediate effect.
Additionally, four other police personnel have also been suspended for dereliction of duty.
Initial investigations revealed alarming gaps in crowd management.
The temple premises were left largely unmanaged. The security responsibility was handled by a single watchman, and senior officials were not informed on time despite rising crowd pressure.
These lapses allowed the situation to spiral out of control, ultimately triggering the stampede.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, a day that attracts a massive number of devotees for special prayers.
As the crowd surged inside the temple premises, panic broke out, leading to a deadly stampede.
As many as 8 women lost their lives, and several others were injured, many of whom are still undergoing treatment.
The tragedy sparked widespread anger among locals and families of the victims, who accused the administration of negligence.
In response, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate this incident. The SIT is being led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and senior officials, including Patna range IG Jitendra Rana, who visited the site.
The investigation team is examining crowd control arrangements, deployment of security personnel, and communication failures within the police system.
The administration has assured strict action against all those found responsible for the mishap.
Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed deep grief over the incident and announced compensation for the families of the deceased victims.
The state government will provide Rs 6 lakh each to the families of the deceased. Out of this, Rs 4 lakh is from the Disaster Relief Fund and Rs 2 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
CM Nitish Kumar also assured that all injured persons are being provided proper medical care at the government’s expense.
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