PATNA, India: At least 15 Hindu devotees were killed in two separate incidents in eastern India on Monday, as worshippers gathered for religious observances during the Shravan, local officials said.
Eight people died after a fire broke out at a hotel in the Hindu pilgrimage town of Tarapith in West Bengal, while seven women were killed in a crowd crush near the Ashok Dham temple in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district. Several people were injured in both incidents.
The incidents occurred on Monday during Shravan, a period considered sacred by Hindus who worship Lord Shiva. Mondays during the month traditionally draw large crowds to Shiva temples across India.
Eight killed in Tarapith hotel fire
The fire broke out at a four-storey hotel in Tarapith, in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, early on Monday, when many guests were asleep, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
🚨Breaking: 7 Pilgrims Dead Several Injured In Massive West Bengal Hotel Fire
A major fire at a four-storey hotel in Tarapith, West Bengal, on August 17, 2026 resulted in seven deaths and multiple injuries.
Suspected to be caused by an electrical short circuit, the incident… pic.twitter.com/fvmxXf5VAB
— Ramesh Tiwari (@rameshofficial0) August 17, 2026
Eight people died in the blaze, PTI reported. Several others were injured and taken to Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Police detained one person over alleged lapses in the maintenance of the hotel’s firefighting system, PTI reported.
The New Indian Express reported that the fire was detected at about 5 a.m. on the ground floor. Twenty-two fire engines were deployed and firefighters brought the blaze under control in about three hours.
Many of the hotel guests were pilgrims who had travelled to Tarapith to pray during the religious period, according to reports.
The exact cause of the fire was not immediately established. Hotel officials told The New Indian Express that they believed a short circuit had caused the blaze, but an investigation was underway.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expressed grief over the deaths and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Seven women killed in Bihar crowd crush
In neighbouring Bihar, seven women died after a crowd crush near the Ashok Dham temple in Lakhisarai district early on Monday.
The incident occurred as thousands of devotees gathered for prayers and the ritual offering of water to Lord Shiva on the third Monday of Shravan. All India Radio reported that more than 10 people were seriously injured, while district officials later put the number of injured at 14.
VIDEO | At least seven people were killed and 14 others were injured in a stampede near the Ashok Dham temple in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district.
The incident occurred due to a heavy rush of devotees at Ashok Dham halt railway station, which is a short walk from the temple. The… pic.twitter.com/2pCN9EmrvX
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 17, 2026
Lakhisarai District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar said the incident occurred at about 6:30 a.m.
According to Kumar, an electricity pole fell and a rumour spread among devotees that a live wire had fallen on people in the crowd. The rumour triggered panic and a sudden rush, particularly in the queue for women.
Also Read: Seven Killed in Stampede at Temple in India
“A rumour spread that a live wire had fallen on the devotees,” Kumar said, according to reports. He said the resulting pressure caused people to fall on top of one another.
The New Indian Express also reported that a barricade collapsed as the crowd surged.
Some reports said the heavy crowd was further intensified by the arrival of trains at the nearby Ashok Dham halt railway station. The railway station is a short walk from the temple.
Hindu religious festival
Shravan, also known as Sawan, generally falls between July and August and is one of the most important months in the Hindu religious calendar.
Devotees commonly fast, pray and make offerings to Lord Shiva during the month. Mondays are regarded as particularly auspicious, drawing large numbers of worshippers to temples.
Tarapith is a major pilgrimage centre in West Bengal. The town is best known for its temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Tara, while the wider pilgrimage complex also attracts devotees during Shiva-related observances.
The concentration of large crowds during religious festivals has repeatedly raised concerns about safety, emergency access and crowd-control arrangements in India.
Crowd disasters in India
Deadly crowd crushes have occurred repeatedly at major religious gatherings in India, where large numbers of people can converge in confined spaces.
In July 2024, at least 121 people were killed in a crowd crush at a Hindu religious gathering in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh.
A police report cited by Reuters said about 250,000 people attended the event despite permission being granted for 80,000. Most of those killed were women.
In January 2025, a stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, also in Uttar Pradesh, killed dozens of people as tens of millions gathered for a ritual bath.
Early official figures put the toll at more than 30, while Reuters reported that witnesses and police sources counted nearly 40 deaths.
