Stampede-Like Situation at Mahakal Nagchandreshwar Temple in Ujjain, Several Devotees Injured (Videos)

At least three devotees were injured near the Nagchandreshwar Temple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Monday amid a massive rush of pilgrims for Nag Panchami, even as the temple administration denied reports of a stampede-like situation at the shrine. The incident was reported as thousands of devotees gathered at the temple for darshan, which opens to the public only once a year on Nag Panchami. According to news agency IANS, the situation arose amid heavy rush in a barricaded area opposite the Harsiddhi temple, and the injured devotees were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Temple Administration Denies Stampede Reports

Temple Administrator Pratham Kaushik said "misleading reports" about chaos at the temple were being circulated on certain media and social media platforms.

Ujjain Nag Panchami Stampede-Like Situation

उज्जैन में फैली करंट की अफवाह, नागचंद्रेश्वर मंदिर में मची भगदड़, कुछ श्रद्धालु हुए घायल#ujjain #nagchandreshwar #nagpanchami pic.twitter.com/WSweRlz25C

— The Hunter (@newsthehunter) August 17, 2026

उज्जैन के विश्व प्रसिद्ध महाकालेश्वर मंदिर परिसर में सोमवार को नागचंद्रेश्वर मंदिर के पास अचानक भगदड़ जैसे हालात बन गए। बताया जा रहा है कि परिसर में करंट फैलने की अफवाह के बाद श्रद्धालुओं में डर का माहौल बन गया। इसके बाद भारी भीड़ में लोग इधर-उधर भागने लगे और एक-दूसरे को धक्का… pic.twitter.com/dfIXKCcBzw

— Ashutosh Prasad (@ashukrpd) August 17, 2026

"There was exceptionally large turnout of devotees as this year's festival coincided with the third Monday of Sawan. The claims about disorder at the shrine are misleading," he said.

Kaushik added that 6.19 lakh devotees had visited the temple so far and that all necessary arrangements were in place to ensure devotees' safety and facility for smooth darshan. Bihar: Stampede at Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai on 3rd Monday of Sawan, 7 Women Killed (Videos).

Injured Pilgrim Recounts Sudden Chaos

One of the injured, Sagar, told ANI that he was waiting in the queue for several hours before the incident occurred.

"I was in the queue at Mahakal Mandir for the darshan. After seven to eight hours, I reached Harsiddhi Chauraha. We stood there for two hours. The crowd was swelling and since it was time for the aarti, we were stopped there. Suddenly, the barricades were opened and a chaos broke out," he said. Nalanda Temple Stampede: 6 Devotees Killed, Several Injured During Mahavir Jayanti Prayers at Sheetla Mata Temple in Bihar.

Heavy Crowding At Mahakal Temple Complex

A large number of pilgrims have gathered in Ujjain for darshan of Lord Mahakal and Lord Nagchandreshwar, leading to heavy crowding inside the Mahakal temple complex and on roads in the surrounding areas. The Nagchandreshwar Temple, located on the third floor of the Mahakaleshwar Temple complex, opens to devotees only on Nag Panchami each year, attracting pilgrims from across the country.

Administration Had Reviewed Arrangements Ahead Of Festival

Ahead of the festival, Divisional Commissioner Ashish Singh and Collector Roshan Kumar Singh had reviewed the arrangements and directed officials to ensure adequate barricading, drinking water, sanitation, medical facilities and emergency response measures. The district administration said personnel had been deployed and special arrangements made to regulate the movement of devotees amid the heavy rush.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 17, 2026 03:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).