Stampede-like chaos erupts at self-styled Godman Dhirendra Shastri’s event in Thane

A near-stampede situation unfolded during an event hosted by self-styled godman Dhirendra Krishna Shastri in the Mankoli Naka area of Thane, Maharashtra, on Saturday. The event saw an overwhelming crowd, leading to chaotic scenes. Visuals showed security personnel using sticks to control the gathering. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, is the head of the Bageshwar Dham religious site in Madhya Pradesh's Chattarpur district. His events are known to attract large audiences, drawn by his reputation for sharing personal insights with followers—a practice his critics attribute to mentalism rather than divine power.

Concerns over crowd management

This incident mirrors similar situations at religious gatherings in recent times. Last month, another stampede-like situation occurred at Pandit Pradeep Mishra’s event in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. In that instance, no casualties were reported.

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A more tragic event took place in July last year in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, where 121 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives during a religious congregation led by Surajpal, also known as Bhole Baba. Over 2.5 lakh attendees had gathered, far exceeding the permitted capacity of 80,000. The stampede occurred when devotees rushed to touch the godman’s feet, leading to a tragic crush. Authorities attributed the disaster to poor crowd management by event organizers.

These incidents highlight the pressing need for better planning and safety measures at large public gatherings, particularly those involving religious leaders with massive followings. Proper crowd control mechanisms and adherence to permitted capacity limits are crucial to preventing such tragedies in the future.

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