Girl injured after slab fragments fall at Vijayawada Durga temple

Vijayawada: A nine-year-old girl sustained injuries after fragments from a slab reportedly fell on her during darshan at the Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada on Thursday.

According to temple staff, the incident occurred while the girl and her family from Guntur were performing ‘metla puja’ on the temple steps. The child, identified as Padmavathi, was immediately shifted to the temple’s first aid centre and later advised further examination at a government hospital as a precaution.

Some locals at the temple alleged negligence and claimed medical assistance was not immediately available after the incident. However, temple staff denied the allegations and maintained that the situation was promptly handled.

“The girl was treated at the first aid centre and is doing fine. Since she is a small kid, we suggested a hospital check-up as a precaution,” a temple staff member said.

The incident triggered concern among devotees over safety arrangements at the temple premises.