Nine devotees were injured near Gate Number 5 of Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, Mathura, when a sunshade of a house collapsed on Tuesday evening, injuring devotees leaving after paying obeisance at the temple.
Six injured have been admitted to a local hospital, and one youth has been referred to New Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. The other injured were provided first aid and discharged.
“As usual, all seven lanes that lead to the temple were jam-packed. Suddenly, a huge portion of the roof overhang collapsed, and the rubble fell on some devotees who were leaving after paying obeisance at the temple,” said Anand Goswami, a local.
Radha Ballabh, the chief medical officer of Mathura, said: “About eight to nine people suffered injuries when the sunshade of a house collapsed. They have been admitted to Ramakrishna Mission Hospital, Vrindavan. The condition of one of them was not good; he has been sent to Delhi.”
City magistrate C.P. Singh claimed that some people were spreading rumours that the incident occurred inside the temple. “We want to clarify that the incident took place outside the temple premises. The sunshade fell on the devotees,” he clarified.
Sudhir Goswami, the owner of the house, claimed the sunshade gave way when monkeys were jumping on it.
But another local said, “Many residents in these lanes have domesticated monkeys and provided them space on their terraces. It is a symbiotic relationship between the monkeys and the residents. The monkeys snatch spectacles and bags of devotees, and these residents charge money from the victims to bring back their belongings,” he added.
Incident near Banke Bihari Temple highlights safety concerns for devotees visiting sacred Vrindavan temples.
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