A sub divisional officer and Deputy Superintendent of Police of Reengus in Sikar district have been suspended in connection with the stampede outside the Khatu Shyam temple which left three women dead on August 8.
The suspension order of SDO (Dantaramgarh) Rajesh Meena was issued by the department of personnel while Deputy SP (Reengus) Surendra Singh was suspended by the police headquarters on Tuesday night.
Long queues were seen outside the Khatu Shyam ji Temple as devotees had gathered on the occasion of 'Gyaras', an auspicious day as per Hindu calendar.
As soon as the temple opened at around 4.30 am, the devotees flocked for 'darshan'.
In one of the queues, a 63-year-old woman with a history of heart ailment collapsed. Two women behind her, too, fell down due to the rush. They died in the stampede, Superintendent of Police K Rashtradeep said.
The 63-year-old deceased was identified as Shanti Devi. Panic set as she collapsed, the official said.
Devi's brother Mangat Ram told reporters, "As soon as the temple was opened for prayers, stampede occurred. Somehow, we managed to escape. My sister was old, so she got stuck and died. Others from my family sustained injuries."
The SHO of Khatu Shyamji Riya Choudhary was suspended on August 8 hours after the incident.
"There was a heavy rush outside the temple. The pressure mounted as soon as the temple gates opened, which led to a situation that left three women dead. It was not handled well. SHO Riya Choudhary has therefore been suspended," Superintendent of Police, K Rashtradeep said.
Four others were injured in the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condoled the deaths and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
Expressing his anguish, Modi tweeted, "Saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at the Khatu Shyamji Temple complex in Sikar, Rajasthan. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that those who are injured recover at the earliest."
The state government has already ordered an inquiry by the divisional commissioner into the incident.
