Stampede-like situation outside Mahakal temple, many devotees injured

A day after a devotee lost his life when a barricade fell on him outside Mahakal temple, scores of devotees sustained minor injuries after they were trapped in a stampede-like situation outside the temple in Ujjain.

A day after a devotee lost his life when a barricade fell on him outside Mahakal temple, scores of devotees sustained minor injuries after they were trapped in a stampede-like situation outside the temple in Ujjain. The incident occurred between 2.30am and 3am on Friday between Mahakal temple and Harsiddhi temple.

Thousands of devotees thronged to the Mahakal temple situated Nagchandreshwar temple as it opens only on the auspicious occasion of Nagpanchami.

To control the huge crowd, about 1,600 policemen have been deployed in and outside the temple and separate queues, about 700-metre long, from Mahakal temple to Harsiddhi temple, were maintained to facilitate easy darshan. However, at 2.30am, few devotees tried to jump the queue and that resulted in a stampede. Scores of devotees who got trapped in the crowd received minor injuries.

Police jawans who were deployed at the spot had a tough time. They took almost an hour to control the situation. None of the devotees or police jawans were seriously injured.