2008 Naina Devi temple stampede
The 2008 Naina Devi temple stampede occurred on 3 August 2008 in the Indian 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. 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. According to Daljit Singh Manhas, a senior police officer from the area, at least 40 of the victims were children.
| Date | 3 August 2008 |
|---|---|
| Time | 15:00 IST |
| Location | Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh India |
| Casualties | |
| 146 dead | |
| 150 injured | |
| Stampede, crushed to death, asphyxiation | |
The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Prem Kumar Dhumal, announced a government compensation of Rs. 100,000 (approximately US$2500) for those who died and Rs. 50,000 (approximately US$1250) for the seriously injured. 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. The pilgrimage resumed on the next day, 4 August 2008.
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 Bharat Award, the highest award at the 2009 National Bravery Awards.