LUCKNOW (AFP) – At least five devotees died and 40 others were injured yesterday after a wooden platform collapsed during a religious gathering in northern India, an official said.
The incident happened in Baghpat district, north of the capital New Delhi, where hundreds of devotees gathered at a temple to make offerings of confectionery.
“A wooden structure collapsed resulting in the death of five people,” district magistrate Asmita Lal told AFP. “Forty others were injured, out of which 20 have been sent home after first aid,” she added. “The priests went to offer laddoos (sweets) and the platform collapsed, along with hundreds of devotees on it,” one of the devotees, Rakesh Jain, told the broadcaster.
Deadly accidents are common at places of worship in India during major religious festivals due to poor crowd management and safety lapses.
Last year, 121 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh state during a stampede at the end of a religious sermon.
