Today, On 11 June, The High Court instructed the police to take necessary measures against all individuals accountable for the stage collapse at Kalkaji Temple. This directive follows an investigation into the incident. Authorities are expected to identify and act against those found culpable.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court directed the city police to conclude the investigation into the incident where a stage collapsed at the Kalkaji temple in January during a religious gathering, leading to the death of a woman and injuring 17 others. The court also ordered the police to take action against all those responsible for the incident.
Justice Prathiba M Singh noted that the Delhi Police have already filed a charge sheet in the case against six people, including the organizers. It also observed that the permission to hold the event was granted by the temple’s Mahant (chief priest), even though the control and management of the Kalkaji temple premises was with the court-appointed administrator.
The court’s order came in response to a batch of petitions related to civic amenities and cleanliness issues within and around the temple complex.
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The incident occurred during a “jagran” (religious function) organized at the Mahant Parisar of the temple. Approximately 1,600 people attended the event, and a 45-year-old woman lost her life, while 17 others injured. Following the incident, an FIR registered at the Kalkaji Police Station.
During a prior hearing, it revealed that the event at Kalkaji Temple organized by Shri Kalkaji Sajja Sewadar Mitr Mandal. According to the police report, permission for the event granted by Surender Nath Avdhoot, who claimed to be the Mahant of the temple.
In its most recent order dated May 27, the court noted,
“The individuals who have been charge-sheeted received permission from the Mahant to hold the event in his Parisar. Additionally, No Objection Certificates (NOCs) were obtained through the Mahant’s representative from various authorities for conducting the event.”
The court directed the Delhi police to complete the investigation related to the incident and to take necessary action against all responsible parties.
The court instructed,
“The orders issued by this Court should also be considered by the relevant authorities,”
The court’s order also mentioned that the Mahant claimed the Supreme Court allegedly stayed the appointment of the administrator. As a result, no payments have been made towards his remuneration, nor for the salaries of office staff, security guards, and housekeeping staff, rendering the administrator’s office “dysfunctional.”
In 2021, the Supreme Court had appointed retired high court judge J R Midha as the administrator of the temple to perform its various functions. The bench observed that the court had only ordered maintaining the “status quo,” and the stance taken by the Mahant “clearly in the direct contradiction of his own statement” as well as prima facie in violation and disregard of various judicial orders.
The court observed,
“Currently, the learned Administrator has been removed due to non-payment, and the day-to-day management of the Mandir is no longer being overseen by the Administrator. All services have been suspended by the Administrator,”
The court added,
“In fact, this Court is of the opinion that the status quo order dated March 18, 2024, of the Hon’ble Supreme Court is being misinterpreted to imply that the appointment of the learned Administrator has been stayed or that the Mahant and the Baridaars can indirectly oust the Administrator in this manner,”
The court expressed concerns over the Mahant‘s contradictory stances on various issues. As a result, the court appointed a lawyer as a local commissioner to make a surprise visit to the temple.
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The commissioner tasked with filing a report on the temple’s cleanliness, functioning, crowd management, availability of basic amenities like drinking water and clean toilets, unauthorized hawking and encroachments, as well as the collection of tehbazari.
Additionally, the court directed the “baaridars” (priests) to file a response to the report submitted by the court-appointed administrator.
The high court had previously ordered that no “jagran” or similar events be held at the temple without the court’s permission.
The matter is set to be heard again in August.
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