At least 15 people were killed in two separate incidents in the eastern region while paying homage to Hindu deity Shiva during the holy month of Shravan, officials said.
A fire at a hotel in Tarapith in West Bengal state killed eight people, while seven others were killed in a stampede at a Shiva temple in neighbouring Bihar yesterday.
The victims of the hotel blaze had travelled to Tarapith to offer prayers on the final Monday of Shravan, a sacred month dedicated to Shiva that attracts huge crowds of worshippers.
“Words cannot adequately express the grief I feel for the families who have lost their loved ones,” West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said in a statement.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
In Bihar, seven pilgrims were crushed to death and 19 others injured when a stampede broke out at the Ashok Dham temple in Lakhisarai district.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary described the incident as “heart-wrenching”.
He also announced a compensation of 400,000 rupees (RM17,085) for the family of each victim. — AFP
