One woman was killed and 17 people were injured after a stage for seating devotees at a jagran collapsed at Delhi's Kalkaji Temple, police said on Sunday. The 45-year-old woman was rushed to the hospital by two people in an autorickshaw but she was later declared dead.
Police said the event was organised without permission on Friday night and was attended by over 1,600 people. Videos of the jagran, an overnight devotional programme, showed a huge crowd of people inside the tightly-packed venue. Devotees had also climbed on the main stage where popular Punjabi musician B Praak was singing bhajans.
"We got a call at around 12.30 am that a stage, which was set up for 'jagran' purpose, at Kalkaji temple, collapsed. Teams were rushed to the spot. One woman was declared dead. Further investigation is underway," a senior police officer told news agency PTI.
Police said the wooden platform, which was erected to seat the families of the event's organisers and other VIPs, had started leaning under excessive weight. At around midnight, the structure snapped and fell on the devotees sitting under it.
A stampede-like chaos ensued after the collapse as people screamed and ran out of the venue. The injured were rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre, Safdarjung Hospital and MAX Hospital in Saket. Many of the them sustained fractures but their condition is reported to be stable, police said.
After the incident, Singer B Praak shared a video appeal to devotees on social media. "I am saddened by what happened at Kalkaji temple. I wish for the speedy recovery of those injured. Proper management is very important. Devotees were told to follow safety measures but they were excited to be part of the event for Maa Durga. We need to make sure something like this does not happen again," he said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also condoled the death of the woman devotee and urged people to make necessary safety arrangements for such events. "The accident that happened last night during the jagran at Kalkaji temple is very sad. A woman has died in the accident, may her soul rest in peace. I wish for the speedy recovery of the 17 injured people. I appeal to all the people of Delhi to take special care of security standards in any kind of big event and make arrangements in such a way that no untoward incident happens," he said in a post on X.
While no permission was granted for the event, police said sufficient personnel were deployed to maintain law and order. A case has been registered against the event's organisers for causing death by negligence and endangering the safety of people.
The Mata Jagran at Mahant Parishar has been organised at the Kalkaji Temple for the last 26 years.
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