14 Killed in Temple Stampede and Hotel Fire in Eastern India

Fourteen people have died in two separate incidents at religious destinations in eastern India, after a stampede at a Hindu temple in Bihar and a pre-dawn hotel fire in West Bengal left several others injured.

Seven devotees were killed and more than a dozen injured on Monday morning when a crowd surged at the Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai district, Bihar, during the holy month of Shravan. Hours earlier, seven people were killed in a hotel fire in the pilgrimage town of Tarapith in neighbouring West Bengal.

The stampede occurred at Ashok Dham Temple as thousands of worshippers gathered for prayers on the third Monday of Shravan, an important period for Hindu devotees.

Police and local officials said panic erupted after an electrical wire reportedly snapped or an electric pole fell near the crowded area. The sudden alarm caused people to rush, while heavy crowd pressure led to barricades giving way and devotees falling over one another.

Officials said the victims were mostly women. More than a dozen people were injured and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, with at least one reportedly requiring further medical attention.

There were also reports that two trains arriving in the area contributed to a sudden increase in the number of worshippers around the temple. Authorities have ordered an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deadly crowd crush.

The incident has revived concerns about crowd management at India’s major religious gatherings. Earlier this year, another temple stampede in Bihar killed nine people.

In a separate tragedy several hours earlier, a fire swept through a four-storey hotel in Tarapith, West Bengal, a major pilgrimage town known for its famous Kali temple.

The blaze broke out at about 4:30–5 a.m. while many guests were asleep. Police said seven people died and several others were critically injured. Firefighters rescued more than 20 people from the building, while injured survivors were taken to hospital.

Many of the hotel’s guests were pilgrims who had travelled to Tarapith for religious observances during the busy Shravan period. The building’s enclosed design reportedly allowed smoke and flames to spread while many occupants were still asleep.

Initial reports point to an electrical short circuit or electrical malfunction as a possible cause of the fire, although authorities have begun an investigation and the final cause has not yet been established.

The two incidents occurred in different states and are not believed to be connected. However, their proximity in time has drawn attention to safety challenges around India’s heavily visited religious sites, where large crowds and temporary accommodation can place significant pressure on emergency and safety systems.

The combined death toll of 14 has prompted renewed calls for stronger crowd-control measures at temples and stricter enforcement of fire-safety standards at hotels and lodges serving pilgrims.

Rescue and medical teams remained involved in treating survivors, while police and local authorities began investigations into both incidents.