Madhya Pradesh: Fire During Bhasma Aarti at Mahakal Temple Leaves 14 Injured

Ujjain, 25th March 2024: A dreadful accident unfolded in Mahakal of Ujjain as 14 individuals, including five priests, suffered burns during the Bhasma Aarti ritual at the Mahakal temple. Reports suggest that while sprinkling gulal, the flames suddenly intensified, engulfing the priests and causing severe injuries.

The priests were conducting the aarti with camphor when the unfortunate incident occurred. According to sources, the fire broke out as the priest was performing the aarti with camphor at the Mahakal temple. Six visitors who were present in the temple also sustained burns in the fire. The incident transpired during the ongoing Holi celebrations at the Mahakal temple.

Following the mishap, all the injured victims were rushed to the district hospital for medical treatment. District Collector Neeraj Singh and Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma promptly reached the hospital to oversee the situation. A total of 14 individuals were affected by the fire, but their conditions are currently stable. Additionally, four individuals have been referred to hospitals in Indore for further medical care.

Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, CM Mohan Yadav extended his condolences. He remarked that the accident during the Bhasma Aarti at the Mahakal Temple is distressing and assured that the administration is handling the situation effectively. CM Yadav prayed for the swift recovery of all the injured individuals.

Furthermore, CM Yadav ordered a thorough investigation into the fire incident at the Mahakal temple. He stated that while some priests sustained injuries and were admitted to hospitals in Indore and Ujjain, he is personally overseeing the matter to ensure accountability. CM Yadav emphasized the need to prevent such incidents in the future and vowed to take strict action against those responsible.

Video footage of the tragic incident at the Mahakal temple has surfaced, revealing the harrowing ordeal. The footage captures the Bhasma Aarti ritual underway when suddenly, flames erupt, causing chaos among the priests and visitors. It is believed that the fire ignited due to the presence of chemicals in the gulal.

The injured priests and attendants, identified as Satyanarayan, Chintaman, Ramesh, Ansh, Shivam, Vikas, Mahesh, Manoj, Sanjay, Anand, Sonu, and Rajkumar, sustained burn injuries in the fire.

Notably, CM Mohan Yadav’s son and daughter were also present during the incident but escaped unharmed.

Meanwhile, District Collector Neeraj Singh has initiated an investigation into the matter and formed a committee to ascertain the cause of the accident.