Fire and stampede at Hindu religious gathering in India kill 15

At least 15 people died in eastern India on Monday in two separate incidents that occurred during religious gatherings honoring the Hindu deity Shiva, authorities said.

Hotel fire

In the town of Tarapith in West Bengal state, a fire broke out at a hotel housing pilgrims who had traveled there to worship Shiva during Shravan, a holy month in Hinduism. Eight people died in the blaze. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Temple stampede

In Bihar state, panic broke out at a Shiva temple after rumors spread that an electricity pole had fallen on people within the temple grounds. The resulting stampede killed seven people and injured 19 others.

A recurring problem

Officials note that deadly stampedes are a frequent occurrence in India, largely attributed to poor crowd management at mass gatherings. One of the deadliest such incidents in recent times occurred in 2024 in Uttar Pradesh state, where a stampede at a religious event killed 120 people.