A stepwell roof collapsed in a temple that resulted in killing 36 people. The incident occurred in Beleshwar Jhulelal Mahadev Temple located in Patel Nagar, Indore. The slab constructed on top of a ‘bawdi’ or stepwell collapsed during a ‘havan’ that was being held on the occassion of ‘Ram Navami’.

The police have registered a FIR against two temple trustees, according to the office-in-charge of Juni Indore police station Neeraj Medha, the FIR has been lodged against Sevaram Galani, president of the Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple Trust and its secretary Murli Kumar Sabnani, under Indian Penal Code Section 304, a magisterial probe has also been ordered and further action will depend on the findings of the probe as Indore Police Commissioner Makrand Deuskar stated.

Though the stepwell has been there for atleast two decades but it has now emerged that it was an unauthorized construction and residents have alleged that the temple management tried to encroach public land from a nearby park. The issue was stated to the authorities including Indore Municipal Corporation but remained unchecked. Some letters have also emerged that shows the exchange between the temple stakeholders, other residents and municipal authorities regarding the encroachment issue. In one letter written in response to notice to remove encroachments the Trust’s president Sevaram Galani had written to IMC that such a move would hurt religious sentiments. The IMC in a subsequent reply had regarded the Trust’s response baseless and warning that they would go ahead with removal of alleged encroachments within a week but no action was later taken.]

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday visited the private hospital where 16 people were admitted and later visited the site of the tragedy. 

Rescuers are using cranes and ropes to look for survivors and till now 36 people have been killed and 16 have got injured.