Overview
- Early on Friday, large boulders rolled down a slope near Patiyapul on Pavagadh Hill and struck pilgrims using the stairway to the Kalika Mata Temple.
- Two people were confirmed dead and multiple pilgrims were injured; the bodies were sent for post-mortem and the wounded were taken to Halol government hospital for treatment.
- Ropeway staff, local police and Fire and Rescue teams launched immediate search-and-rescue operations and recovered the victims from the debris.
- Authorities say continuous heavy rain in the days before the incident likely caused soil erosion that loosened rocks, and officials have closed the route and begun an inquiry and safety inspections.
- Pavagadh Hill is a major pilgrimage and UNESCO-listed site reached by about 2,000 steps or a ropeway, and the incident has raised questions about hillside safety measures during the monsoon season.