4 dead, 23 injured in stampede at Loknath Temple in Kolkata
At least four people died while 23 others sustained injuries after a portion of a wall of Loknath Temple collapsed in Kachua, North 24 Pargana in Kolkata.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced a compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs for the family of the deceased, Rs.1 lakh for those who got critically injured and Rs. 50,000 for others with minor injuries.
The mishap took place around 2.15 am today near Kachua in Loknath temple. Lakhs of people gather at the temple every year on this day to celebrate the birth anniversary of Baba Lokenath Brahmachari, an 18th century Bengali saint, who has followers in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
Banerjee, who rushed to National Medical College and Hospital, where the injured were admitted, told reporters, "There was a large crowd at Kachua Loknath temple this year. It started raining heavily in the wee hours and people tried to take shelter at makeshift bamboo stalls on the approach road to the temple. The bamboo structures collapsed after heavy rain.
"The place was narrow and in the rush, a few people fell into the pond beside the temple and this created a confusion leading to a stampede-like situation there," News agency PTI quoted Banerjee as saying.
"I am personally monitoring the situation", she added.
A senior police officer told PTI, some pilgrims visiting the temple in Basirhat police district, had slipped
due to slush caused by heavy rain and wind.
The police rescued them and took them to a health camp at Kachua and then to a primary health centre, he said.
"The situation was immediately brought under control," he said.
"Ten critically injured persons have been brought to Kolkata for better treatment. Three persons have succumbed to injuries and another three are in a very critical condition.
Five injured persons are in a hospital within Basirhat police station limits," he said.
The three dead have been identified as Aparna Sarkar, Tarun Mondal and Poornima Gorai, another senior officer of West Bengal Police said.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh criticised the state government for not setting up proper infrastructure to deal with the rush of pilgrims.
"There is no point in running from one hospital to another now.. why should the CM be going to hospitals... the state government should have had proper arrangements in place, keeping in mind the huge turnout on this occasion," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
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