Uttar Pradesh: Two devotees die of suffocation in overcrowded temple in Barsana on Radha Ashtami

Two devotees who had come to Radha Rani Temple on the occasion of Radha Ashtami died due to suffocation resulting out of overcrowding today. Police said one of the devotees came from Allahabad with her family and the other is yet to be identified.

Mathura:Two devotees died due to suffocation when a huge crowd gathered at the Radha Rani Temple of Barsana, 45 kilometres from Mathura on Saturday. One of the victims identified as Rajrani, aged 60 who had come from Allahabad while the other is yet to be identified, police said.

Radha Ashtami, an auspicious Hindu festival to celebrate the birth of Radha is being observed with much enthusiasm in Barsana. Lakhs of devotees from far away places turned up at the Shri Ladli Ji Barsana Temple on this occasion. Due to the huge crowd that had gathered here, two devotees suddenly fell ill at Sudama Chowk near the temple complex.

The two were hurriedly brought to the hospital for treatment but the doctors declared them brought dead. It is being told that the two died due to suffocation resulting out of overcrowding at the temple premises.

On receiving information about the incident, police and officials of the local administration reached the spot and sent the bodies for post-mortem. It has been revealed that Rajrani had come to Mathura with her family on the occasion of Radha Ashtami.

During the darshan, the woman got trapped in the crowd and started having trouble in breathing. She fell ill and her health deteriorated. When she was taken to the hospital, doctors said that she had already succumbed to her injuries. The family took her body to Allahabad. A man who also died in similar circumstances could not be identified till now, police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Kumar Pandey said that celebrations of Radha Ashtami were underway in Barsana when two devotees fell ill and were taken to the hospital for treatment but doctors declared both of them dead.