At least three people died and 26 were injured after a stampede-like situation took place when a wall collapsed at the Kachua Loknath temple at Swarupnagar in North 24-Parganas in the wee hours on Friday. Hospital sources, meanwhile, put the death toll at five. Thousands of devotees and pilgrims had gathered at the site on the occasion of Janmashtami when a boundary wall near the gate of the temple collapsed due to heavy rains around midnight. Sources said that many pilgrims were standing next to the wall when it suddenly collapsed. Some bamboo structures and makeshift shops next to the wall also fell down, which resulted in additional chaos. Many people got injured in the stampede.
Some people reportedly jumped into an adjacent pond to save themselves. The injured persons were immediately rushed to different hospitals in Kolkata and North 24-Parganas. Police said: “Last night around 2.15 a.m, some pilgrims visiting Baba Loknath Temple at Kachua slipped due to the mud and slush caused by heavy rains. Sixteen persons were injured. Police rescued them and took them to the health camp at Kachua and then to a private health clinic. The situation was immediately brought under control.”
“As reported, 13 persons who sustained injuries have been removed from Kochua Loknath temple and are presently undergoing treatment at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital,” an officer 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 under Basirhat police station limits.” The victims have been identified as Aparna Sarkar, Tarun Mondal and Poornima Gorai.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited the injured undergoing treatment at Calcutta National Medical College Hospital (CNMCH) and SSKM hospital and spoke to their family members there. Sources at CNMC, SSKM and R G Kar hospitals put the number of dead at five, but this was not immediately confirmed by government authorities. The state government would give Rs 5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh each as compensation to the next kin of the deceased and the seriously injured, respectively.
“The mishap at Kachua is unfortunate and tragic and it happened after heavy rain. I visited CNMC and SSKM hospitals to meet the families of the deceased and injured. Compensation has been announced for the deceased. Medical expenses for the injured are being borne by the government,” the chief minister tweeted.
Sources in the hospitals said two unidentified injured ~ one male and one female ~ brought to SSKM died this afternoon while two others died at CNMC where seven injured were already undergoing treatment. One person succumbed to injury at R G Kar Hospital. At CNMC, Sumitra Mukherjee, mother of an injured youth undergoing surgery, was seen beseeching the chief minister, who also holds health portfolio, seeking help for her son who sustained severe injuries on his legs. Miss Banerjee promised to ensure proper medical attention for her son.
ADG South Bengal and DIG Presidency Range are camping at Kachua to monitor the situation. Police have started a probe into the incident. State food minister and Trinamul district president Jyotipriya Mullick rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.