Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A 500-year-old Lord Ram temple caught fire in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa late Friday night. The incident happened around 1:30 am at Bhamgarh village, when the locals alerted the temple priest.
Idols of Lord Ram and other gods have been damaged in the fire. This temple was built by the royal family.
According to the temple priest, the neighbours noticed the flames rising from the temple and woke him up from sleep at around 1:30 am. The whole village gathered to extinguish the fire. The entire temple was made of wood, which intensified the flames.
A team of police reached the spot immediately. Two fire brigades were called from Khandwa and one from Harsud. Initial investigation revealed that flames from a diya (earthen lamp) ignited the wire. The fire further engulfed the wooden temple.
Currently, the Revenue Department team is surveying the damage. After the complaint, a case of arson will be registered.
The priest said a major accident was averted as no loss of lives was reported.
Villagers complain...
Villagers complained that heaps of garbage dumped behind the temple further enraged the flames, which burnt the structure to ashes. They alleged that there is a dispute in the area as people of other communities spread dirt behind the temple campus.
