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Janmashtami: 2 die of suffocation at Mathura's Bankey Bihari temple
Thousands of devotees thronged the Bankey Bihari temple in Mathura to participate in the midnight rituals leading to overcrowding. The police had to restrict the entry of people after people started fainting.
At least two people died of stampede and suffocation, while several people were taken to the hospital at the Bankey Bihari temple in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura during midnight celebrations of Janmashtami. Thousands of devotees thronged the famous Banke Bihari to offer prayers and participate in the rituals, leaving very little room to breathe. The incident happened at around 2am during Mangla Arti at the temple. Police had to restrict the entry of people inside the temple after some started fainting at the venue.
_1660967109455_1660967122738_1660967122738.png "Massive crowd at Bankey Bihari temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)")
“During Mangla Arti at Bankey Bihari in Mathura, one devotee fainted at exit gate of temple due to which movement of devotees was restricted. As their was huge crowd, many inside the premises were suffocated due to humidity. 2 people lost their lives,” police told news agency ANI.
A video shared by showed a massive crowd gathered at the Bankey Bihari temple with people gasping for air. Police were seen carrying a person, who presumably fainted due to the suffocation from overcrowding.
The entire city of Mathura was decorated with lights as the ‘Krishna Bhoomi ’ or birthplace of Lord Krishna, as it is believed, celebrated Janmashtami. Devotees were seen dancing in the midnight celebrations.
Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura on the occasion of Janmashtami on Friday.
"Lord Krishna arrived on this earth about 5,000 years ago from today and his 'leelas' are celebrated in every part of the country and the world even today," Adityanath said.
Janmashtami is a Hindu festival that marks the birth of Krishna. According to the Hindu calendar, Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, was born on the eighth day of the month of Bhadra.
The festival was celebrated across the country with great fervour. Temples were seen lit up with colourful lights as chants of "Jai Shree Krishna" reverberated across cities and towns.
