Police averted a stampede-like situation by temporarily closing the temple gates due to a heavy rush of devotees on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya.
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Police Avert Stampede-Like At Kolkata’s Kali Temple On Mauni Amavasya
Thousands gather at Maa Shyamasundari Kali Temple in Kolkata for Mauni Amavasya; police close gates temporarily to prevent stampede-like rush.
Security Personnel deployed and stopped the entry of devotees for the time being.
Source : ANI
- Police closed temple gates to prevent stampede due to heavy rush.
- Thousands of devotees gathered for Mauni Amavasya occasion.
- Traffic near temple was regulated to control situation.
Kolkata: Police averted a stampede-like situation at a popular Kali temple in north Kolkata on Sunday evening, as thousands of devotees gathered on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya during the holy month of Magh.
A senior police official said the gates of the Maa Shyamasundari Kali Temple in the Amherst Street area were temporarily closed after a heavy rush built up over a limited stretch of land, with devotees seeking entry into the sanctum sanctorum for darshan and puja.
"We have deployed personnel and stopped the entry of devotees for the time being. We will assess the situation before allowing parts of the crowd to move inside in phases," the police official said.
Devotees had been queuing since morning, but as the crowd swelled in the afternoon, a scramble ensued when the temple doors opened, prompting the temple authorities to alert the Amherst Street police station and seek deployment of personnel.
“We had no other option to avert a stampede-like situation and had to close the doors abruptly while some devotees were inside the temple,” a spokesperson of the temple committee said.
The police officer rejected a claim by a section of the devotees that force was used to keep the devotees away.
Rita Koyal, a woman from Barrackpore in the northern suburbs, said, "We will not leave the area until we have darshan of the goddess. I came with my son and husband around 11.30 am to pray on the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya." Traffic movement on the road near the temple was regulated to manage the situation, officials said.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Maa Shyamasundari Kali Temple on Sunday evening?
Why were the temple gates closed?
The gates were closed to manage the large crowd and prevent a stampede, as the limited space inside the temple could not accommodate everyone at once.
When did devotees start queuing at the temple?
Devotees had been queuing since the morning, but the crowd swelled significantly in the afternoon.
Were devotees alleging that the police used force?
A senior police official rejected claims by some devotees that force was used to keep them away from the temple.
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