Two women devotees were killed in wall collapse during Chhath puja in Badgaon village under Hasanpur police station of Samastipur district on Sunday morning. Over a dozen persons were injured in the incident.
There were reports of death of another person, identified as Kakoi Yadav (55) in the mishap, but the administration did not confirm it saying the exact cause of the death would be known after the post mortem report.
“We are still ascertaining whether Kakoi Yadav died in the mishap or had a natural death. The body of Yadav has been sent for post mortem and things would be clear after we get the report,” the Samastipur district magistrate (DM) Shashank Subhankar.
According to reports, the two women, Leela Devi(62) and Bacchi Devi (60), died on the spot after the collapse of dilapidated wall of an old Kali temple, situated on the bank of village pond. They victims were offering arghya, a ritual of Chhath Puja, in the morning.
Hasanpur’s block development officer (BDO) Dunialal Yadav informed that a cheque amount of Rs 4 lakh as an ex gratia next to the kin of two women deceased had already been handed over by the DM today.
However, the BDO said that a confusion was created after some villagers claimed that the third victim, Yadav, died of heart attack. Hence, his body was sent for autopsy. “ If his post mortem confirmed the death due to mishap, the bereaved family would be paid the compensation amount for which a cheque was being kept ready,” he added.
According to the BDO, altogether 13 persons, who were taken to Hasanpur primary health centre (PHC) were discharged after first aid.
Meanwhile, another mishap during the four-day Chhath festival, which concluded on Sunday, was reported from Aurangabad district of south Bihar where two minor children were killed and several devotees were injured in a stampede adjacent to famous Sun temple on Saturday evening.
The stampede due to sparking in the naked electric wire.
The deceased were identified as Khushi Kumari (6) of Paliganj in Patna and Prince Kumar (2) from Sahar in Bhojpur district of Bihar.
However, superintendent of police Dipak Barnwal said that the deaths were caused due to suffocation in heavy rush.
The district administration was providing compensation and all other reliefs to the victim families as per rules, Barnwal said.
