A fire broke out in a part of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday morning. The fact that this was the third fire in six months in the temple, and fire services finding the fire safety measures in neighbouring areas wanting, proves that temples don't do enough for safety of devotees.
Also read: Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple sees third fire in 6 months
Hundreds and thousands of people visit temples on festivals and other occasions because of which the temple boards should make sure that safety and security are not hampered. Especially, since India has a history of tragic accidents leading to mass deaths during fires and stampedes in temples.
Despite such mass accidents, temples seem to have not prepared themselves for crowd management and offer safety to devotees who visit temples for peace and to practice their faith.
Here's a list of five accidents in Indian temples that shocked the nation:
1. Sabarimala temple stampede -- On December 25, 2016 more than 30 people were injured in a stampede at the temple. This was not the first stampede at the temple. On January 14, 2011, 106 people died and more than 100 were injured on Makara Jyothi Day at Pullumedu near Sabarimala in Kerala.
2. Puttingal Devi Temple at Paravur fire – On April 10, 2016, a fireworks display led to a huge explosion when fireworks stored in the temple caught fire. Almost 110 people died and 400 were injured. It had caused panic and chaos on a Sunday morning. The fire had raged on for hours before it was brought under control.
3. Ratangarh Mata temple stampede -- On October 13, 2013, at least 115 were killed and 110 were injured during Navratri due to a stampede at the Madhya Pradesh temple.
4. Naina Devi temple stampede -- On August 3, 2008, 160 people were killed and more than 400 were injured in the famous Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh after a rain shelter collapsed.
5. Chamunda Devi Stampede -- On September 30, 2008, at least 224 were kliled and 425 were injured at the Chamunda Devi Temple in Jodhpur due to a stampede. There was panic at the temple after rumours about a bomb was spread.
