6 Devotees killed and 12 injured in wall collapse near Sangli Temple

Six devotees were killed and 12 others injured after a wall collapsed near the Shri Margubai Devi temple in Maharashtra’s Sangli district during strong winds on Tuesday, officials said.

The incident took place near Motewadi village in Jat taluka, where devotees had gathered for a religious yatra at the temple. According to police, a 9-foot-high wall suddenly collapsed amid gusty winds, trapping several people under the debris.

Officials said tin sheds near the temple were also damaged after being struck by strong winds. The temple is located around 3 km from Motewadi village in a relatively isolated area.

Sub-divisional officer Sachin Thorbole said the wall had been constructed around two years ago as a protective structure near the temple. He added that authorities are investigating whether poor construction quality or strong winds caused the collapse.

The deceased were identified as Shankar Aba Lokhande, 80, Mangal Bhausaheb More, 45, Sangita Ram Chaudhari, 42, Arun Vishnu Gejge, 14, Sonya Laxman Gejge, 14, and Kondiba Rauba Gejge, 65.

Police said the injured were shifted to hospitals in Jat, Miraj and Vijaypur in neighbouring Karnataka for treatment.

BJP leader and MLA Gopichand Padalkar said devotees had gathered near the wall for shelter during heavy winds when the structure collapsed on them.

Sardar Patil, a member of the Sangli Zilla Parishad, said tin sheets blown by strong winds may have struck the wall before it collapsed.

Authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident.