Kalkaji stampede: Temple authority issues directions for checking all electrical points

New Delhi: The Kalkaji Temple authority on Friday issued fresh directions to check all the electricity points, a day after a 17-year-old boy got electrocuted while standing in a queue to entre the premises that resulted in a stampede.

"It is an unfortunate incident and we are with the family members of the victim,” an authority member said.

“During navratri, a large number of people offer prayers at Kalkaji Temple. We got to know that some people climbed a railing to reach inside. During this time, one of them took support of an electricity wire which malfunctioned and touched an iron railing," he said.

When the 17-year-old boy touched the same railing, he got electrocuted, resulting in a stampede-like situation, he said.

On the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, Mayank got electrocuted while standing in a queue to enter the temple. This resulted in a stampede in which six people got injured.

After this incident, we have asked electricians to check every single electrical point and verify that no such condition will happen in future, the member said.

Volunteers have been asked to maintain the crowd and only allow 50 people at a time to enter the temple to avoid such situations, he said.

"More than 500 to 600 volunteers, along with security forces, are deployed to maintain law and order," the authority member said, adding that they have installed over 1,000 CCTV cameras to keep strict vigil.

The last rites of Mayank were held on Friday.

"We were waiting for our relatives to come. Mayank’s last rites were carried out today", his brother, Ritik Sharma said and demanded strict action against the temple authorities.

According to the police, the boy was waiting in the queue, when he touched the railing and got electrocuted. He came to Kalkajit temple with his family members to pay obeisance.

A case under section 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), 125(9) (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered and further investigation was taken up.

This was the second incident at Kalkaji Temple this year. On January 28, a stage collapsed during an event, claiming the life of a 45-year-old woman and injuring 17 people.