Kolkata, Aug 23 (UNI) At least two persons were killed and 26 injured, two of them critically,
after a wall of a temple collapsed leading to a stampede at Kachua in North 24 Parganas
district of West Bengal mid night last night.
According to reports, a large number of people had gathered there to celebrate Janmashtami
in Loknath Baba’s temple.
However, the sudden collapse of the temple wall triggered a stampede in which at least two
persons were killed and 26 injured, two of them critically.
The injured have been hospitslised.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to National Medical College and Hospital and SSKM Hospital to visit the injured.
Ms Banerjee has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased.
A compensation of Rs 1 lakh has also been announced for those critically injured in the
incident, while people with minor injuries would be given Rs 50,000.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said nine people were brought to the National Medical
College of whom two were brought dead. And two others were extremely critical.
Apart from this some are admitted in other hospitals, she added.
She said there was heavy rain at the time of the incident which caused many visitors to
take shelter in small makeshift shops on the side of a narrow road leading to the temple.
Ms Banerjee said on the other side of the narrow road there is a pond and when these
makeshift shops collapsed, some people fell into the pond during the stampede.
“There was huge crowd at Kachua and the number of visitors were much higher this time.
There was heavy rain at that time and hence many tried to take shelter in nearby temporary
roadside shops. Some also fell into a roadside pond. A stampede-like situation occurred
there and since the area was small many were unable to come out. There was a pond on
one side and the small shops on the other side,” she told mediapersons at the National
Medical College Hospital in Kolkata
The Chief Minister said the rescue operations are being carried out on the spot.
Senior Ministers have been sent to Barasat Hospital, RG Kar Medical College and a
hospital at Basirhat.
' Rescue operation is the prime objective now. I am personally monitoring the situation,'
Ms Banerjee said.
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