Temple wall collapses in Maharashtra's Sangli, six killed and 14 injured

At least six people were killed, and 14 others were injured after a wall in a temple premises collapsed on them due to gusty winds in the Sangli district of Maharashtra on Tuesday, officials said.

The incident took place at the temple located at Motewadi village of Jat taluka in the district. Several devotees had gathered at the temple to offer prayers on the occasion of Margubai Devi Yatra. 

The victims were in the temple premises when inclement weather brought stormy winds and rainfall. As a result, the wall collapsed where the devotees were present, trapping several of them, police said.

Police said a large number of devotees usually visit the



temple on Tuesdays.

"There were around 350 devotees present on the temple premises. In the evening, the area was hit by sudden strong winds and heavy rainfall, following which devotees gathered near a wall and took shelter under tin sheets. The wall and tin sheets suddenly collapsed, trapping several devotees," Sangli Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi said.

Authorities and locals immediately began efforts to rescue those trapped and rushed them to a nearby hospital, where 6 of them succumbed to injuries. Three of them were locals, and the other three were from Bijapur taluka.

At least 14 people are still in critical condition and undergoing treatment.