In a concerning incident today, a religious gathering led by Dhirendra Shastri, head of Bageshwar Dham at the Indian Oil Company premises near Mankoli Naka in Bhiwandi turned chaotic when crowds grew uncontrollable during a blessing ceremony.
The event began with Dhirendra Shastri delivering a spiritual discourse to his followers. Following the discourse, he announced he would distribute sacred ash (bhabhuti) to the devotees, requesting them to form separate lines - women first, followed by men.
However, the situation quickly spiraled out of control as the eager crowd surged forward, with people climbing over one another in their attempt to receive the blessed ash first. The stampede-like situation particularly affected women in the crowd, with many experiencing breathing difficulties.
Security personnel and bouncers present at the venue had to intervene, physically pulling people out of the crowd and helping them to safety on the stage. Witnessing the deteriorating situation, Dhirendra Shastri left the stage, but this did not deter devotees who continued to climb onto the stage one after another.
Local police forces were forced to use mild force to disperse the crowd and restore order. According to initial reports, no casualties have been reported from the incident. Video footage from the scene shows law enforcement officials attempting to manage the crowd and prevent further chaos.