TV
A sebayat (temple servitor) accidentally slipped and fell while climbing to place the Mahadeepa on the pinnacle of the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, as part of the Maha Shivratri rituals on Wednesday. Two others, including a servitor and a police officer present nearby also sustained injuries in the process.
Later, the servitor and two others who sustained injuries in the mishap were hospitalised.
What happened during the Mahadeepa ritual?
Sources reported that a servitor had initially begun climbing the Lingaraj Temple to alight the Mahadeepa at around 10 am but he slipped and fell down a height of a few feet. Following this, he was immediately rushed to Capital Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, another servitor and a police officer, standing below, were also injured due to hot ghee falling on them during the ritual.
The Mahadeepa ritual, a key part of the Maha Shivratri festivities, was delayed by about half an hour and was finally placed at approximately 10:40 PM instead of the scheduled 10:00 PM owing to the mishap.
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Injured Servitor's Health Condition
Dr Dhananjay Das, Deputy Director of Capital Hospital, informed that all of the injured are in stable condition. Additionally, the servitor who fell, Jogendra Samarth, is out of danger. “He had injuries in his left leg and face. He is currently in the ICU and under observation but he is stable and out of danger,” added Das.
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi meets all injured
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi rushed to Capital Hospital upon being informed about the incident. He met Jogendra Samarth, inquired about his health, and discussed his treatment. The injured servitor informed the CM that he lost balance, causing him to fall.
The Chief Minister also met and checked on the condition of the other injured persons and took stock of their health conditions. Taking to social media platform X, the CM expressed his prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. Notably, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan and MLA Babu Singh accompanied the Chief Minister to Capital Hospital.
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Administration’s response
Meanwhile, Khordha District Collector Chanchal Rana stated that after ensuring proper medical treatment, an investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the incident. “As of now, our primary focus is the recovery of the injured. Following it, we will hold discussions and probe to ascertain the exact cause of the incident,” he added.
