6 devotees killed, 12 hurt in wall collapse near temple in Sangli
PUNE, May 13 -- Six devotees died and 12 others were injured after a wall collapsed and tin sheds were struck by strong winds near the Shri Margubai Devi temple near Motewadi village in Jat taluka in Sangli district on Tuesday.
Police said a 9-foot-high wall near the temple suddenly collapsed amid gusty winds, trapping several devotees under the debris.
The temple is around 3 km from Motewadi village in a relatively isolated area.
Sachin Thorbole, sub-divisional officer (Jat division) said the wall had been built around two years ago as a protective shelter near the temple.
It was made of laterite stone, typically found in the Konkan region.
Authorities are investigating whether poor construction or the impact of strong winds led to the collapse.
The deceased have been identified as Shankar Aba Lokhande, 80, and Mangal Bhausaheb More, 45, both residents of Pandozhari in Jat taluka.
Sangita Ram Chaudhari, 42, from Takkalagi in Vijaypur district in Karnataka; Arun Vishnu Gejge, 14, and Sonya Laxman Gejge, 14, from Domnal in Vijaypur in Karnataka.
One deceased was from Sangli district, identified as Kondiba Rauba Gejge, 65, from Daribadchi Jat taluka.
The injured people were shifted to Jat, Miraj and Vijaypur in Karnataka.
Police sources said devotees flock to the temple especially on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, to fulfil religious vows and offer sacrificial goats.
BJP leader and MLA Gopichand Padalkar said, "Devotees who had gathered for a religious yatra were taking shelter along the side of the wall when, due to heavy winds, it collapsed, trapping them under it."
Sardar Patil, member of the Sangli Zilla Parishad, said the wall came crashing down when tin sheets from nearby were tossed at the wall by the wind....
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