Ujjain Temple Stampede: Several Injured, COVID Rules Flouted

Several devotees, including women and children, were injured on Monday. The stampede took place at gate number four of Ujjain‘s famous Mahakaleshwar Siva Temple. The devotees even flouted COVID rules including maintaining distance and wearing masks.

A video of the shocking incident is viral on the internet. In the viral video, devotees can be seen jostling and pushing against each other in a bid to enter the temple. The security personnel were overpowered and soon devotees rushed inside the temple. Several tumbled down and others fell over them leading to one of the barricade gates getting damaged.

Check out the video here:

#WATCH | A stampede-like situation was seen at Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh yesterday pic.twitter.com/yxJxIYkAU5

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2021

“At around 8:30 am, a large number of people tried to enter for darshan and in the process broke the barricade at gate number four of the temple complex. After the barricade broke, several people tried to run towards the main deity but thankfully there was no untoward incident,” the temple’s assistant administrator Moolchand Joonwal told PTI.

The smooth movement of the crowd was reportedly affected by VIP visits. VIPs like Uma Bharti and Mr Chouhan, too, chose to visit the temple on Monday, along with their families. It added to the chaos.

This was the first Monday of the Hindu month of Shravan, considered auspicious by a large number of Hindus who visit temples of Lord Shiva to offer their prayers.

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