- Monday, February 24, 2025
It was said that the fire started while a prayer was being offered at the temple early in the morning.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday (25) said the outbreak of fire at a temple in the central state of Madhya Pradesh on the day of Holi, the Hindu festival of colour, was very painful and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
The fire broke out in the ‘garbha griha’ (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple at 5:50 am local time, leaving 14 priests and ‘sevaks’ (assistants) injured, officials said.
In a message on social media platform X, the prime minister’s office quoted Modi as saying in Hindi, “The accident that happened in Mahakal temple of Ujjain is very painful. I wish for the speedy recovery of all the devotees injured in the accident. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in every possible help to the victims.”
Read: India celebrates Holi; see in pictures
उज्जैन के महाकाल मंदिर में हुई दुर्घटना अत्यंत पीड़ादायक है। इस हादसे में घायल सभी श्रद्धालुओं के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं। राज्य सरकार की देखरेख में स्थानीय प्रशासन पीड़ितों की हरसंभव मदद में जुटा है: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 25, 2024
Talking to reporters in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, where eight of the 14 victims are admitted, Madhya Pradesh’s chief minister Mohan Yadav said Modi spoke to him over phone and inquired about the health of those injured.
Indian president Droupadi Murmu also spoke to him about the incident over phone, Yadav added.
In a tweet, she said in Hindi, “The news of many people getting injured in the accident at Mahakal Temple in Ujjain is extremely saddening. I wish speedy recovery to all those injured.”
उज्जैन के महाकाल मंदिर में हुई दुर्घटना में अनेक लोगों के घायल होने का समाचार अत्यंत दुखदाई है। मैं घायल हुए सभी लोगों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना करती हूं।
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 25, 2024
Both Murmu and Modi have been informed that the victims, who sustained 30-35 per cent burns, are stable, Yadav said.
Yadav further said gulal was being used as part of the temple’s ‘bhasma aarti’ for “thousands of years” but it was unfortunate that the plate (thali) overturned, resulting in a fire.
“It will be investigated if the gulal contained some chemical or any other such items. I have ordered a probe into the fire. Prima facie, it looks like there is no conspiracy behind the fire. A probe will clear all aspects,” the CM added.
(With PTI inputs)
