SimhasthaBhopal: Eight persons were killed and 80 others were injured in thunderstorm blended with heavy rains devastated the Simhastha area in Ujjain on Thursday. Many Pandals of saints and sages have been uprooted and eight persons including a sage and three women have dieda dn over eighty are injured. The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of dead and Rs 50,000 for those who are seriously injured. Over 25 lakh people are expected to reach the Simhastha area on Friday to take bath on the occasion of second Shahi bath.
All the injured have been rushed to the District Hospital, IT and Transport Minister Bhupendra Singh, also the in-charge of Sinhastha Kumbh Mela. Singh told media persons that no one except a woman was injured by lightening, died in the mishap. He claimed that the situation was brought under control with elaborate arrangements made by the administration. No one involved in Panchkoshi Yatra was injured. Singh also reached the district hospital and met the injured.
Collector Kavindra Kiyawat said that 8 pilgrims killed and nearly 40 injured in thunderstorm at Kumbh Mela site in Ujjain. A woman died apparently due to electrocution, as snapped power lines fell on her due to the winds. The rains have now stopped and the situation is under control, he added.
Iskon welcome gate, Chintaman area pandal and several other makeshift structures were destroyed in the incident. Sources claimed that more than ten pandals have collapsed during the chaos. The injured were rushed to the government hospital.
Meanwhile, private hospitals in Ujjain have been kept on high alert after the mishap. Team of over three doctors was pressed into service for treating the injured.