At least 14 priests were injured after a fire broke out at the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh in the early morning on Monday, according to official sources.
The mishap occurred during the ‘bhasma aarti’ inside the ‘garbhagriha’ (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple on the occasion of Holi. Witnesses said the fire broke out while ‘gulaal’ (coloured powder used during Holi festivities) was thrown as part of the religious ceremony.
The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital. No casualties have been reported. A magisterial probe has been ordered. The injured are undergoing treatment, the district collector, Neeraj Singh, has said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was briefed about the situation by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. The local administration would provide all assistance to the injured, he added.
Chief Minister Yadav expressed grief about the unfortunate incident. “I have been in touch with the administration since morning. Everything is under control. It is a prayer to Baba Mahakal that all the injured get complete recovery soon,” he wrote on X.
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