LUCKNOW: A devotee died at the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan late on Wednesday evening while leaving the temple after darshan. He suddenly collapsed in the crowd and died on the spot.
Family members said the temple was extremely crowded, making it difficult to move. It is suspected that he may have died from suffocation.
According to district administration sources, a probe is underway to ascertain the cause of the sudden death. The deceased, who was reportedly an asthma patient, had come from Meerut with his family for the darshan of Banke Bihariji.
Kripal (50), son of Sher Saini, along with his younger brother Om Prakash, nephew Titu, and 47 others from Niloha, Mawana, Meerut, visited temples in Vrindavan. In the evening, they reached Thakur Shri Banke Bihari temple for darshan. While in the crowd, Kripal Saini allegedly began feeling unwell. After darshan, near gate number four, he fell unconscious.
Temple doctors were called immediately. After examining Kripal Saini, they advised that he be taken to hospital. He was rushed to Mayawati Hospital by ambulance, where he was declared dead upon arrival.
Doctors cited a heart attack as the prima facie cause of death. Police reached the scene, but the family refused a post-mortem in writing.
Temple CCTV footage shows Kripal Saini suddenly collapsing near the gate while a child was on his shoulder. He is seen putting the child down and then falling unconscious.
According to the family members of the deceased, Kripal Saini had been suffering from respiratory illness and had recently experienced increased breathlessness. District Magistrate Chandraprakash Singh stated that the death appeared to be from a heart attack. Relatives took the body away without a post-mortem.
Meanwhile, attributing the sudden demise of Kripal Saini to cardiac arrest based on the doctors’ version and his other medical conditions, SSP Mathura Shlok Kumar denied suffocation of the devotee due to overcrowding in the temple.