6 Killed, 12-14 Injured As Temple Wall Collapses Amid Strong Winds In Sangli

Sangli: At least six people were killed and 12-14 were hurt as a wall on the premises of a temple in Maharashtra's Sangli collapsed amid strong winds on Tuesday. The incident occurred at a temple in Motewadi village of Jat taluka in Sangli district, where a large number of devotees had gathered for the Margubai Devi Yatra.

Officials said that the devotees were inside the temple premises when sudden stormy weather accompanied by rainfall hit the area. Amid the bad weather, a wall at the site collapsed, trapping several people underneath the debris.

“A large number of devotees had gathered in Motwadi to attend a religious ceremony dedicated to Goddess Murgubai. However, around 5:00 p.m., heavy rain and strong winds began. Consequently, the devotees took shelter at a nearby construction site. Meanwhile, the strong winds tore off a large metal sheet roof (shed), which fell directly onto the stone wall; as a result, the wall collapsed on the devotees who had taken shelter beneath it…The injured have been admitted to the Jat Rural Hospital for treatment,” a statement from the Jat police station read.

Rescue operations were launched immediately by local residents and authorities, who pulled out the injured and shifted them to a nearby hospital. 

Doctors have declared six people dead during treatment. Among those who were killed, three were local residents, while the others were from Bijapur taluka. The police said that at least 14 injured people remain in critical condition and are undergoing treatment.

Earlier in April, a religious celebration turned tragic in Andhra Pradesh, as a 20-foot-long stretch of a newly built wall collapsed at the Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam. The incident led to the death of at least seven people and injuring four others during the Chandanotsavam festival.

The victims were reportedly standing in a Rs. 300 ticket queue when the wall, constructed just 20 days back, collapsed. Preliminary reports suggested that heavy rainfall and soil loosening may have been the cause of the structural failure.

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