The death toll in the Indore temple stepwell roof collapse rose to 35 on Friday. Reportedly search operations are currently underway for one missing person.
On Thursday noon by around 12 pm, the slab constructed on top of an ancient 'bawdi' or stepwell collapsed during a 'havan' programme held on the occasion of Ram Navami at the Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple in Patel Nagar. Several devotees fell into the water reservoir below as the roof collapsed.
The temple had been constructed after covering the square-shaped stepwell of around 20 ft x 20 ft size about four decades ago.
"Our search operation, being carried out with the help of the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), is nearing completion. So far, 35 bodies have been recovered from the well," Indore District Magistrate Ilayaraja T told media persons.
The bodies of all persons, except one, whose names were mentioned in the list of missing persons, have been recovered so far, he said.
There is a lot of silt in the well and it is being removed to trace the missing person, Illayaraja said.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan Chouhan reached the spot and inspected the rescue operations at the site of the incident. "An FIR is registered and magisterial inquiry is ordered into the incident. Action will be taken against those found responsible. The current priority is rescue operation. The injured will be treated free of cost. PM has also announced ex-gratia amount to the victims. We have also ordered an inspection of such stepwells and borewells across the state," Chouhan told reporters.
He also met the injured victims at the hospital.
Indore Police Commissioner said thatr a case was registered against president and secretary of the temple administration under IPC 304.
Earlier, Indore Divisional Commissioner (Revenue) Pawan Kumar Sharma said that 16 people injured in the mishap have been admitted to a hospital, while two others were sent home after first aid.
The rescue operations are conducted jointly by the Army and the NDRF. With the help of a crane and trolley the people trapped were carried out of the reserviour. According to local residents, the temple was built over an ancient stepwell, which was covered with a slab during the construction.
(With PTI inputs)
