Rainfall causes Narasimha Swamy temple wall to collapse in Visakhapatnam: 8 devotees killed, 4 injured after 20 feet long wall collapses; probe ordered
A 20-feet long portion of the wall of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple collapsed in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday night. According to senior official Vinay Chan, 8 people died and 4 were injured in the accident.
Chandnotsav was going on in the temple. It is celebrated every year. Thousands of devotees come to visit Lord Narasimha in this. According to officials, the accident occurred due to heavy rains between 2:30 and 3:00 am late night. Collector Harendra Prasad said that NDRF and SDRF have completed the rescue.
State Home and Disaster Management Minister Vangalapudi Anitha also immediately reached the spot and took stock of the situation. She instructed the officials that there should be no laxity in the treatment and relief and rescue of the injured. Orders have been given to investigate the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences on the accident. PM said, 'I am very saddened by the news of the death of people. I wish that the injured get well soon.' The Prime Minister's Relief Fund (PMNRF) will provide assistance of ₹ 2 lakh to the families of the deceased and ₹ 50,000 to the injured.
A large number of people had arrived due to Chandnotsav
Chandnotsav was going on in the temple. It is believed that during this time Lord Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy gives darshan to the devotees in his real form. A large number of devotees had reached Singhgiri on Tuesday night to have darshan of the Lord. Swamiji was awakened with seva in the morning. After this, the sandalwood on the body of the Lord was removed with a silver spoon.
Special prayers were offered for the Lord, who had come in his real form. The hereditary trustee of the temple, Pusapati Ashok Gajapatiraju and his family members were given the first real darshan and they offered the first sandalwood to the Lord. Later, Revenue Minister Angani Satya Prasad presented silk clothes on behalf of the state government.
After this, protocol and internal temple darshan arrangements were made from 3 am to 6 am. This accident happened during this time.
Intelligence had alerted about stampede in Khatushyamji: Only 150 policemen for 1 lakh devotees, crowd kept increasing due to stopping darshan for 4 hours
The administration is still avoiding taking strict action in the case of death of three women in stampede in Khatushyamji. Sikar Collector Avichal Chaturvedi and SP Kunwar Rashtradeep inspected the temple on Tuesday. The VIP gates built around the temple were closed by putting tin sheds. At the same time, questions raised on the temple committee are still there. Here, 4 officers have been suspended in this case so far.
