Sangli, May 12 (IANS) At least six devotees were killed, and many others were injured after a wall and tin sheets on the premises of a temple collapsed following strong winds and heavy rains in Maharashtra’s Sangli district on Tuesday.

Of the six victims, three were residents of the local area, while the others were from Bijapur taluka (Karnataka). About 14 people were rushed to nearby hospitals. Several remain in critical condition as they undergo treatment.

The police sources said that the incident took place at the Margudevi Temple in Mothewadi village under Jath tehsil in the western Maharashtra district.

According to the police sources, a large number of devotees usually visit the temple on Tuesdays. They said that sudden gusty winds and heavy rainfall caused a wall and adjoining tin sheets on the temple premises to collapse. As heavy rain and stormy winds lashed the area, many people sought shelter near a wall and under tin structures. The structure proved unable to withstand the wind pressure and collapsed, trapping several people under the debris.

Local residents and authorities immediately launched a rescue operation to pull victims from the rubble.

“There were around 350 devotees on the temple premises. In the evening, sudden strong winds accompanied by heavy rains lashed the area, prompting devotees to take shelter along a wall and under tin sheets. The wall and the tin sheets suddenly collapsed, trapping devotees,” said Sangli Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X, said, “Deeply pained to hear the loss of lives due to the collapse of a wall in Sangli, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this sad hour. May the injured recover at the earliest.”

The tragedy took place during the Margubai Devi Yatra, an annual fair that attracts a large number of devotees.

Police and revenue administration officials have visited the site to conduct a panchnama (official assessment).

The local community is in a state of mourning following the sudden disaster.

While rescue operations have largely concluded, authorities are continuing to monitor the condition of the injured and investigate the structural integrity of the remaining temple buildings.

–IANS

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