Indore Temple Tragedy: Death Toll Hits 35, Questions Arise Over Safety Measures
Written by Sanjay Kumar
On Friday, March 31, Dr. Ilayaraja T, the Indore Collector, confirmed that the death toll from the temple stepwell collapse incident in Indore has risen to 35. One person is still missing, and 14 people have been rescued, while two people who received treatment have returned home safely.
The Indore Collector stated that the search operation to locate the missing persons is still ongoing. He also mentioned that the rescue operation, which began at around 12:30 on Thursday, has lasted for 18 hours and is ongoing. According to officials, a team of 75 army personnel, along with NDRF and SDRF, is involved in the operation.
During a Hawan ceremony at the temple, devotees were seated on the floor when an accident occurred. Underneath the floor was a stepwell, or Bawadi, which had been covered with a concrete slab. Unfortunately, the seal collapsed, causing the devotees to fall into the well. The incident occurred at the Lord Shiva temple in Patel Nagar, and Bhanwarkuan police reported that the concrete caved in due to the large number of devotees who had gathered at the temple.
As a result, victims fell into the water and were forced to cling to the debris of concrete and iron mesh to save themselves. It’s worth noting that the stepwell was an old one. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that Rs 5 lakh ex gratia would be given to the kin of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured. He informed reporters of this decision, saying, “An ex gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the next of kin of deceased while Rs 50,000 will be given to the injured.”
Following the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to receive updates on the situation. In a tweet, PM Modi expressed his sorrow over the accident and said, “Extremely pained by the mishap in Indore. Spoke to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and took an update on the situation. The State Government is spearheading rescue and relief work at a quick pace. My prayers are with all those affected and their families.”
The Beleshwar Mahadev temple, which is managed by a private trust, is situated in Sneh Nagar, one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Indore. According to reports, the tragic incident could have been prevented if the Indore Municipal Corporation had addressed the complaints made by the residents. It’s worth noting that the temple was built approximately four decades ago after covering the stepwell.
Safety measures must be taken seriously to prevent tragic incidents like the Indore Temple tragedy. It is important to ensure that all public places, including temples, are regularly inspected and maintained. Adequate measures should be put in place to ensure the safety of people during public events, and emergency response plans should be prepared in advance. Authorities must listen to and address complaints made by residents and take appropriate actions to prevent accidents. Only through consistent efforts and vigilance can we ensure the safety of people in public places.