17 injured as rock rolls down on devotees in Odisha

At least 17 devotees were injured after a large boulder hit them while they were standing in queue for darshan of the presiding deity at hilltop Jatia Baba Temple in Odisha's Sundargarh district on Friday, said police.

The devotees had gathered at the temple on the occasion of Maha Shivratri and the incident occurred when a large boulder got dislodged and crashed into the devotees.

The devotees were walking up the hill slope to have darshan of the presiding deity of the temple, which is located atop the Jatiapahar Hill near Birmitrapur.

Inspector in-charge of the Biramitrapur police station A.C. Majhi said that 17 devotees were injured in the incident.

The injured were first rushed to Hatibari Community Health Centre (CHC) from where those seriously injured were shifted to the Rourkela Government Hospital. - IANS