BJP leader injured as cable car crashes at hilltop temple in Chhattisgarh

Rajnandgaon: A BJP leader sustained injuries after a cable car he was in crashed from a small height at a hilltop temple in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon on Friday, police said.

The incident occurred around 2 pm at Bamleshwari Devi temple located on a hill in Dongargarh town, an official said.

He said the trolley, with six people onboard, was heading to the base to drop some BJP leaders returning after offering prayers at the shrine.

The BJP's state general secretary, Bharat Lal Verma, sustained injuries in the accident, he said.

The official said former Chhattisgarh minister and incumbent chairman of Chhattisgarh State Forest Development Corporation Ramsewak Paikra, accompanied by Verma and other party leaders and President of Maa Bamleshwari Trust Manoj Agrawal, were in the cable car.

As per preliminary information, when the gear of the trolley was changed to slow it down for its arrival at the base station, the cable car got detached and crashed on the ground from a small height, he said.

While other occupants were reported to be safe, Verma sustained injuries on his back and shoulder, he said.

The BJP leader was rushed to a local hospital, from where he was being shifted to Rajnandgaon for further medication, he said, adding that further investigation into the accident is underway.

A 1,300-meter-long ropeway ferries devotees near the temple top in cable cars.

The temple lies on the hilltop at a height of 1,600 feet, and one can also reach there on foot by climbing around 1,000 steps.