Chhattisgarh: Ropeway mishap at Dongargarh temple injures four BJP leaders, sparks safety concerns

RAIPUR: A major accident occurred at Maa Bamleshwari Temple in Dongargarh in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh on Friday when a ropeway trolley packed with devotees suddenly broke and fell to the ground. The shocking incident has left Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) State General Secretary Bharat Verma critically injured. He has been referred to Nagpur for advanced treatment.

According to eyewitnesses, former Home Minister and senior BJP leader Ramsevak Paikra was also inside the trolley at the time of the incident but narrowly escaped with minor injuries. Other BJP leaders, including Daya Singh and Manoj Agrawal, were also present in the same trolley and escaped with bruises.

Local sources allege gross negligence in the operation and maintenance of the ropeway, claiming it is often misused for transporting cement and gravel, instead of being dedicated to pilgrims. They say technical faults are routinely overlooked and maintenance checks are merely a formality.

The accident triggered chaos at the temple site for a while. Devotees screamed in panic, and emergency rescue efforts began immediately. The ropeway service was halted, and police and administrative teams rushed to the scene. Rescue operations are currently underway.

Reports confirm Bharat Verma sustained cervical and hip injuries. He was initially transported to a private hospital in Rajnandgaon via a green corridor from Dongargarh. Although plans were made to refer him to Raipur, his family decided to take him to Nagpur for more specialized care.

This is not the first mishap involving the Dongargarh ropeway. Several similar accidents in recent years have raised serious concerns about the temple trust’s management. Locals are increasingly frustrated, questioning whether the trust prioritizes donation collection over devotee safety.

Following Friday’s incident, the ropeway service has been temporarily shut down. A preliminary probe attributes the accident to poor maintenance. Technical and administrative teams have initiated a detailed investigation.

Police and rescue teams were on the scene shortly after the accident, assisting in evacuating passengers and managing the situation in the temple premises, which remained tense throughout the afternoon.