Stampede-Like Situation at Saptashrungi Fort During Chaitrotsav: Administration Caught Off Guard

A massive influx of devotees at the Saptashrungi fort in Nashik on the occasion of Chaitrotsav has resulted in a stampede-like situation, throwing the local administration into chaos. Since Wednesday night, thousands of devotees have converged on the site, overwhelming the temple management and public safety systems.

The sudden surge in the crowd has severely impacted the efforts of the temple administration, police, and disaster management authorities. Despite prior preparations and meetings aimed at ensuring smooth crowd management, the situation appears to have spiraled out of control.

Administrative Preparedness Under Scrutiny

The incident has raised serious concerns about the efficacy of the crowd control measures undertaken by the administration. Large crowds began to gather at the very base of the Saptashrungi hill, well before ascending the steps to the shrine. While officials had conducted pre-event meetings to strategize crowd management, there appears to have been a critical gap between planning and execution.

This lapse has sparked questions about the administration’s preparedness and capacity to handle such large-scale religious gatherings. The failure to implement pre-decided measures has now come under sharp public scrutiny.

As the situation unfolds, urgent action is expected from authorities to ensure the safety of devotees and prevent further mishaps in the coming days of the festival.