VISAKHAPATNAM: A woman devotee was killed and another injured when a huge boulder fell on them while they were going to Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam on Wednesday through the pedestrian path. The deceased was identified as A Bhavani (28) of Peddanaidupalem in Sabbavaram mandal.
According to information, the mishap occurred during expansion of the pedestrian path. While the area adjacent to the steps way was being dug using an earthmover, a boulder rolled down and hit Bhavani. Another woman, who was climbing the steps, suffered a leg fracture. Other devotees at the spot rushed the injured to hospital. Bhavani succumbed to head injury.
Speaking to TNIE, Devasthanam engineer B Malleswara Rao said, “The expansion of pedestrian path was taken up three months ago. Due to rains in the last two days, the landslide occurred. Soon after the incident, we have closed the steps route to the temple to take up repair works.”
The Endowments Department announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the deceased. A compensation of Rs 3 lakh will be paid by the contractor. The police registered a case.
Expressing grief over the death of a devotee in the mishap, the CPI demanded that a compensation of Rs 25 lakh be paid to her family, which depended on Bhavani, an MBA a graduate, for its sustenance. CPI leader RKSV Kumar demanded that Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam provide a job to one of her family members.