Patna: An influx of devotees at the ISKCON temple in Patna on Monday evening, the occasion of the Janmashtami festival, threatened to get out of hand, but the situation was quickly brought under control, a police officer said, adding that no casualties were reported.
Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajeev Mishra told the media that a few devotees might have suffered minor injuries, but the police brought the situation under control quickly.
Video clips that went viral on social media showed security personnel trying to control the rushing devotees at the temple. A few fell to the ground, and the security personnel helped them.
“A huge number of devotees thronged the ISKCON temple in the evening during the Janmashtami festival. An adequate number of security personnel had already been deployed there. We engaged more personnel when the situation turned chaotic as the devotees tried to outpace one another. It was a tough time for the security personnel. The situation was, however, immediately brought under control. It was not a full-blown stampede,” Mishra said.
“The situation is completely under control. Our top priority is to manage the rush of devotees first. Women security personnel have also been deployed in large numbers,” the SSP added.
To a question, he said, “Some of the devotees might have suffered minor injuries.”
The Patna district administration also issued a statement about the incident.
“There was no stampede at the ISKCON temple. Mild force was used to check those devotees who tried to enter temple premises by breaking police barricades. The situation is completely under control.”
At least seven people were killed and 16 others injured in a stampede at Baba Siddheshwar Nath Temple in Bihar’s Jehanabad district earlier this month.
For more updates Subscribe to Media Eye News
–IANS
