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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox News event
|name=Naina Devi stampede
|image=
|caption=
|date=3 August 2008
|time=15:00 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
|place=[[Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh|Bilaspur]], [[Himachal Pradesh]]<br /> {{IND}}
|notes=Stampede, crushed to death, asphyxiation
|casualties1=146 dead
|casualties2=150 injured
}}
The '''2008 Naina Devi temple stampede''' occurred on 3 August 2008 in the [[India]]n state of [[Himachal Pradesh]]. 146 people died and 150 were injured when they were crushed, trampled, or forced over the side of a [[ravine]] by the movement of a large panicking crowd. Witness accounts suggest that events were initiated after a rain shelter collapsed, which worshipers mistakenly took to be a [[landslide]].<ref name="Trib 20080803">{{cite web|author1=Megha Mann|author2=Jai Kumar|title=146 die in Naina Devi stampede|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080804/main1.htm|publisher=[[The Tribune (India)]]|access-date=6 July 2014|location=Anandpur Sahib / Bilaspur|date=3 August 2008}}</ref><ref name="bbcnews">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7539509.stm|title='Scores killed' in India stampede|publisher=BBC News Online|access-date=2008-08-03 | date=2008-08-03| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081003090200/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7539509.stm| archive-date=3 October 2008| url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="DNA 20131015">{{cite web|last1=Patil|first1=Gangadhar|title=Madhya Pradesh temple stampede: 27 of 29 stampedes in country in last five years at religious places|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-madhya-pradesh-temple-stampede-27-of-29-stampedes-in-country-in-last-five-years-at-religious-places-1904000|website=dnaIndia.com|publisher=Diligent Media Corporation |access-date=6 July 2014|location=New Delhi, India|date=15 October 2013}}</ref> There were as many as 3000 devotees at the temple because it was a sacred place (called a "[[Shakti Peeth]]") in the holy month of [[Shraavana]] of the [[Hindu Calendar]].<ref name=bbcnews/> According to Daljit Singh Manhas, a senior police officer from the area, at least 40 of the victims were children.<ref name="timesonline">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4452904.ece|title=More than 100 die in Indian temple stampede|publisher=Times Online|access-date=2008-08-03 | location=London | first=Jeremy | last=Page | date=2008-08-04}}</ref>

The [[Chief Minister]] of Himachal Pradesh, [[Prem Kumar Dhumal]], announced a government compensation of [[Indian Rupee|Rs.]] 100,000 (approximately US$2500) for those who died and Rs. 50,000 (approximately US$1250) for the seriously injured.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.himvani.com/news/2008/08/03/stampede-at-naina-devi-mandir-125-feared-killed/1603/news/himvani/|title=Stampede at Naina Devi Mandir, 125 feared killed|last=Sahib|first=Anandpur|publisher=Himvani|access-date=2008-08-03}}{{dead link|date=September 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> 50,000 people had been expected to attend [[Naina Devi]] during the day of the stampede, as part of a nine-day [[festival]] which had just started.<ref name=timesonline/> The pilgrimage resumed on the next day, 4 August 2008.<ref name="IBN 20080804" />

Gaurav Singh Saini, a 13-year-old boy from [[Tohana]] (a town located near Haryana-Punjab border) [[Haryana]], saved 50-60 people during the stampede, and received the [[National Bravery Award#Bharat Award|Bharat Award]], the highest award at the 2009 [[National Bravery Award]]s.<ref>{{cite news|title=21 children to get National Bravery Awards for 2009 |url=http://www.ptinews.com/news/474070_21-children-to-get-National-Bravery-Awards-for-2009 |publisher=[[Press Trust of India]] (PTI) |date=18 January 2010 |access-date=20 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100120050426/http://www.ptinews.com/news/474070_21-children-to-get-National-Bravery-Awards-for-2009 |archive-date=20 January 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Stampede==
Devotees standing in a queue initially saw the collapse of a rain shelter. This triggered a false cry of "landslide!" as it was raining on the day of the stampede.<ref name=bbcnews/> People reportedly tried to move outside the railings put up by the police for crowd control, but the police refused to allow any more movements. The railings later collapsed and people fell on each other, starting the stampede.<ref name="IBN 20080804">{{cite news|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/naina-devi-stampede-death-toll-reaches-146-yatra-resumes/70373-3.html?xml|title=Naina Devi stampede: Death toll reaches 146, yatra resumes|date=4 August 2008|publisher=CNN IBN|access-date=2008-08-04| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080807014156/http://www.ibnlive.com/news/naina-devi-stampede-death-toll-reaches-146-yatra-resumes/70373-3.html?xml| archive-date= 7 August 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref>

==Reaction==
[[File:Naina Devi Temple, Himachal.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Naina Devi|Naina Devi Temple]]]]
[[File:Cadnant Clapper Bridge.jpg|thumb|right|The Naina Devi guard rail was much like this one.]]

[[Rajnath Singh]], the current leader of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] in India, responded to the stampede by releasing a statement in the hours after the disaster. "I am deeply saddened to learn about the tragic death of over 100 pilgrims. I convey my deep felt condolences to the family members of all those who have lost their lives or have been injured in the incident," he said.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200808032069.htm|title=BJP expresses shock over death of pilgrims in HP|work=The Hindu|access-date=2008-08-03|location=Chennai, India|date=2008-08-03}}</ref>

[[Himachal Pradesh]] [[List of Chief Ministers of India|Chief Minister]] [[Prem Kumar Dhumal]] responded by announcing an inquiry into the incident.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/11508/38/|title=HP CM orders magistrial inquiry into Naina Devi stampede |last=Jagota|first=Satish|publisher=Punjab Newsline|access-date=2008-08-03|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080812031432/http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/view/11508/38/ |archive-date = 12 August 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Vice President of India]], [[Hamid Ansari]], and the [[Speaker of Lok Sabha]], [[Somnath Chatterjee]], conveyed condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the incident.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-08-03/india/27898116_1_stampede-naina-devi-temple-shock-and-grief|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021131452/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-08-03/india/27898116_1_stampede-naina-devi-temple-shock-and-grief|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-10-21|title=Vice President expresses shock over loss of lives at stampede|access-date=2008-08-03|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=2008-08-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080059946|title= Political reactions|publisher=NDTV|access-date=2008-08-04}}</ref>

''[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]'' criticized the poor infrastructure and ill-maintained roads at the shrine, reporting that a team of doctors and paramedics were unable to reach the site of the accident until hours after the stampede.<ref name="Trib 20080804">{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080804/main2.htm|title=It was a tragedy waiting to happen|last=Khanna|first=Mohit|publisher=[[The Tribune(Chandigarh)]] |access-date=2008-08-04| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080808032701/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080804/main2.htm| archive-date= 8 August 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> The ''[[Times of India]]'' observed that there had been no improvement in crowd management even though a similar stampede took place in the shrine in 1978 after rumors of a landslide spread, killing 65 people.<ref name="ToI Bodh">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-08-04/india/27899904_1_naina-devi-temple-stampede-tragedy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021131458/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-08-04/india/27899904_1_naina-devi-temple-stampede-tragedy|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 October 2012|title=30 years ago, similar tragedy at shrine had claimed 65 lives|last=Bodh|first= Anand|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=2008-08-04|date=4 August 2008}}</ref> As is often the case during disasters, the mobile telephone network around Naina Devi had insufficient capacity to serve the large number of phone calls by worried relatives.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080804/main3.htm|title=Panicky relatives face mobile network jam|last=Mann|first=Megha|date=2008-08-03|publisher=Tribune News Service |access-date=2008-08-04| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080808034107/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080804/main3.htm| archive-date= 8 August 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref>

==Post-mortem report of victims==
[[Post-mortem]] examinations conducted on victims of the Naina Devi temple stampede confirmed that the deaths were caused by [[asphyxiation]]. Post-mortem reports of 101 bodies out of a total of 141 victims taken to the civil hospital at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, 18 km from the site, have indicated compression of the chest causing asphyxiation and death, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) P C Akela said. Akela, who remained stationed at [[Anandpur Sahib]] after the incident, said post-mortems were not carried out on 40 of the dead at the request of their relatives.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200808061543.htm |location=Chennai, India |work=The Hindu |title=Asphyxiation cause of deaths in temple stampede |date=2008-08-06 |access-date=7 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080808145410/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200808061543.htm |archive-date=8 August 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[2008 Jodhpur stampede]]

==References==
{{Wikinews|Stampede in India kills at least 140}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Human stampedes}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Naina Devi temple stampede}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=Human stampedes in 2008, 2008 disasters in India, Human stampedes in India, 2000s in Himachal Pradesh, Disasters in Himachal Pradesh
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[[Category:Human stampedes in 2008]]
[[Category:2008 disasters in India]]
[[Category:Human stampedes in India]]
[[Category:2000s in Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Disasters in Himachal Pradesh]]

2008 Naina Devi temple stampede - Revision history

MetaBOT at 17:04, 8 July 2023