A fire erupted during the ‘bhasma aarti’ ceremony at the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, on Monday (March 25), injuring fourteen priests and assistants, said an official.
Ujjain Collector Neeraj Kumar Singh stated that the blaze occurred in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple around 5:50 am on the day of festival of colors, Holi.
“Fourteen priests suffered burn injuries. Some are being treated in the district hospital here, while eight have sought treatment in Indore. A magisterial probe has been ordered. It will be conducted by Zila Panchayat CEO Mrinal Meena and Additional Collector Anukool Jain and a report will be submitted in three days,” he said.
“The fire started as ‘gulal’ (coloured powder used during rituals) fell on the puja thali that contained burning ‘kapoor’ (camphor). It later spread on the floor and turned into a blaze,” he added.
An official stated that the incident was recorded by CCTV cameras installed within the temple premises.
“The fire started after gulal was thrown as part of a ritual on the occasion of Holi. It caused burn injuries to priests, who were rushed to the district hospital,” priest Ashish told reporters.
Officials reported that a considerable crowd, including several VVIPs, was present during the incident at the Nandi Hall in front of the sanctum sanctorum, yet no injuries were reported among the devotees.
In a statement on X, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed his condolences for the unfortunate incident and assured that he was in constant communication with the district administration.
“The situation is under control,” the CM said.
With inputs from PTI.