Bhubaneswar: At least 30 Opera audiences including some children were injured after tall iron entry gate collapsed on them while they were entering Opera hall to enjoy the show on Saturday night at Raisunguda under Salipur police station in Cuttack district.
The incident took place before the start of the Rajarani Yatra show at Raisungada Shani temple ground.
According to reports, 20 spectators were admitted to Salipur Community Health Center, while six critically injured individuals were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for further treatment. The condition of the others was stable, and they were discharged after treatment.
Eyewitnesses claim that the gate collapsed due to the large number of spectators entering at the same time, causing it to lose balance. However, some audiences alleged that poor maintenance of the entry gate led to such an accident. The exact reason for the collapse is yet to be determined.
The show was stopped immediately after the incident. Local police rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
A case has been registered by the police. The manager of the Opera party has been detained, and the organizers are being questioned. We are investigating the incident to determine the circumstances that led to it, said Cuttack (Rural) SP Prateek Singh
