Nishikant Khajuria
UDHAMPUR, Apr 14: Tragedy struck Baisakhi celebration fair at Beni Sangam temple in Chenani block when a footbridge collapsed due to overloading resulting into death of a minor girl and injuries to 64 persons, including several children and women, here today.
Some of the injured were referred to Government Medical College Hospital Jammu where one of them, a 10-year old girl, succumbed to her injuries while more than a dozen others were undergoing treatment at District Hospital Udhampur and Sub-District Hospital Chenani.
The mishap took place around 2.30 pm in Beni Sangam village of Bain in Chenani block, where a large number of people had assembled for the Baisakhi Mela.
The footbridge suddenly collapsed due to overloading thus resulting into injuries to at least 64 persons, who were part of the huge gathering assembled there from the adjoining areas of Udhampur district for participation in annual Baisakhi Mela at Beni Sangam temple.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar told the Excelsior that an inquiry has been ordered into the mishap even as the bridge was not constructed by any Government agency but the temple management committee on its own.
“DC Udhampur will conduct the inquiry for ascertaining the reasons that led to the mishap and submit a report within 15 days,” he said.
On getting news about the mishap, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who represents Udhampur-Kathua Parliamentary constituency in the Lok Sabha, immediately established contact with DC Udhampur and issued necessary directions for all possible assistance to the victims.
“I’m in touch with DC #Udhampur Krittika Jyotsana after receiving the report of the accident. My office is in touch with the local administration. All possible assistance being provided,” he tweeted.
DC Udhampur Krittika Jyotsna, who visited District Hospital Udhampur to assess the medical facilities being provided to the victims, informed that a total of 62 persons had sustained injuries and condition of them was stable.
According to the eyewitness accounts, the mishap led to a chaos like situation at the site where people were seen rescuing the victims trapped under the collapsed bridge and shifting the victims to hospital with the help of Police.
The injured were shifted to Sub District Hospital Chenani where 31 of them were referred to District Hospital Udhampur for advanced treatment. Nine injured were further referred to GMC Hospital Jammu where one of them, identified as Anu Devi, age 10 years, daughter of Yashpal, resident of Chunti Chenani, succumbed to her injuries.
Condition of other injured at GMC Hospital Jammu, was stated to be stable. They were identified as Chunni Lal (55), son of Sadhu Ram, resident of Mantalai, Udhampur; Rohit Sharma (19), son of Bishan Dass of Tandar Chenani; Arti (15), daughter of Subash Sharma of Mantalai, Jagdish Kumar (50), son of Krishan Lal of Kud, Bimla Devi (50) wife of Om Singh of Nagulta, Ravi Kumar (55) son of Raj Kumar of Jammu, his wife Reva Devi (54) and Mohd Saleem (22) son of Abdul Mazid of Bupp,
Reports said that a large number of people, who had assembled for Baisakhi Mela at Beni Sangam, were standing on the steel bridge which collapsed apparently due to overloading. This 76-feet bridge was built by the temple management committee and the locals in the year 2007 by contributing money from their own pocket as the Government provided no assistance for the same.
Pertinent to mention that Beni Sangam is a historic place and home to a 500-year-old Shiva Temple. on the right side of the Sangam point. In the area, there are few more temples, including Thakurdwara temple, Hanuman temple, Vishavkarma temple, Ram temple and Ganga Mata Temple. Besides, there are bathing Ghats on both the banks of the Beni river where people take holy dip.
While a number of the injured were discharged from hospital after first aid, 22 of them were still undergoing treatment at District Hospital Udhampur, eight at GMC Hospital Jammu and four at Sub-district Hospital Chenani.
Those admitted in the DH Hospital, were identified as Manish Gulati (55) son of M L Gulati of Shiv Nagar Udhampur and his wife, 52 year old Madhavi Kohli; Balwan Singh (38) son of Shanker Singh of Kither, Vidya Devi wife of Faqir Chand of Nagulta, Nikhil Sharma (11) son of Romesh Kumar of Nagulta, Saneev (18) son of Bhushan of Chenani, Ashok Kumar (25) son of Joginder Sharma of Ramnagar, Kajal Devi (13) daughter of Subash Chander of Mantalai, Ajeet Singh son of Govind Ram of Chenani, Pooja Devi (55) wife of Arjun Singh of Nagulta, Priyanka Devi (13) daughter of Madan Lal of Chenani, Sohan Lal (45) son of Shiv Lal of Chenani, Sushma Devi (35) wife of Sudesh Kumar of Bain, Mohd Ishtaq (17) son of Mohd Iqbal of Karlar, Rajni Devi (40) wife of Sohan Lal of Chenani, Surjeet Chand (33) son of Dalveer Chand of Katwalt, Shanker (25) son of Vijay Kumar of Tandhar, Vidya Devi (48) wife of Hans Raj of Sayal Sallan Udhampur, Satya Devi (45) wife of Bodh Raj of Sayal Sallan, Pooja Devi (23) daughter of Bodh Raj of Sayal Sallan Udhampur, Hari Chand (23) son of Krishan of Chenani and Neelam Devi (39) wife of Romesh of Nagulta.
Those admitted at Sub District Hospital Chenani, were identified as Anil Kumar (14) son of Hem Raj of Nagulta, Narinder Singh (11) son of Yashpal Singh of Chenani, Veena Devi (34) wife of Yash Paul Singh of Chenani and Ganesh Kumar (21) son of Tara Chand of Krlla.
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