Pune: Stampede-like situation at Shivneri Fort during Shiv Jayanti leaves several injured

Stampede-like situation at Shivneri Fort in Pune. (Pic/Screengrab from X)

While the whole of India gets ready to celebrate the Shiv Jayanti on Thursday, a stampede-like situation broke out during the celebrations at Shivneri Fort in the Pune district. The incident happened during the late hours of Wednesday, leaving several devotees injured.

The incident occurred near the Ambar Khana area of the fort as lakhs of devotees assembled at the historic birthplace of the Maratha warrior king to pay tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary.

As per the authorities, narrow entry and exit points, including Hatti Darwaja and Ganesh Darwaja, became choke points due to heavy footfall, triggering panic and a brief period of chaos.

A video of the stampede that has been surfacing online showed that the surge intensified as more devotees attempted to move towards the main celebration area, resulting in people pushing through the congested pathways.

However, authorities confirmed that the situation has now been brought under control.

The officials further stated, "The injured were immediately shifted to Junnar Government Hospital for treatment." They also added that no casualties have been reported so far.

Despite the stampede-like situation, the Shiv Janmotsav ceremony will proceed as scheduled. Also, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are expected to attend the commemorative event.

Police have urged devotees to cooperate with security arrangements and follow crowd management guidelines to ensure the safety of all attendees.