70-ft Jagaddhatri puja pavilion collapses in Bengal; 14 injured

Kolkata, Oct 28 (IANS) A total of 14 people were injured after a 70-feet-high Jagaddhatri puja pavilion collapsed due to gusty winds in Chandannagar of West Bengal’s Hooghly district on Tuesday evening.

This year, the Kanailal Palli Jagaddhatri Puja Committee had constructed a towering 70-feet-high pavilion with a fibre-made idol of Goddess Jagaddhatri installed in front of it. However, since evening, gusty winds have been blowing across parts of south Bengal due to the peripheral impact of Cyclone Montha.

Though the cyclone did not directly hit West Bengal, its outer bands triggered light rain and strong winds in several south Bengal districts, including Hooghly.

Due to the high-speed winds, the massive pavilion structure gave way and collapsed. At the time of the incident, a large number of visitors were inside the pavilion, leading to chaos. Around 14 people, including six women, were injured in the mishap.

On receiving the information, police personnel and disaster response teams rushed to the spot. Several of the injured were rescued and taken to Chandannagar Hospital for treatment.

Chandannagar Police Commissioner Amit P. Javalgi said: “Police and fire brigade teams reached the spot immediately after receiving information about the collapse of the Kanailal Palli pavilion. Some people were trapped inside but were rescued and sent to the hospital. Everyone is now safe.”

He added: “The structure of the mandap has been removed and checked to ensure that no one remains trapped underneath. The locals also extended timely help. The puja committee has been instructed to inspect and repair the structure properly before reopening it. The puja will continue, but only after safety clearance.”

According to police sources, the pavilion will remain closed for the rest of Tuesday. If repairs are completed and the police issue a fit certificate, it may reopen to the public by Wednesday.

“The structure needs to be reinforced properly. We cannot risk another such incident. Once the inspection is complete and the pavilion is deemed safe, it will be reopened for visitors,” a police official said.

--IANS

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