At least 14 people, including 12 women, were killed when the slab constructed on top of an ancient `bawdi’ or well collapsed during a ‘havan’ program at a temple in Indore city on Thursday.
At least 25 persons fell into a well after its roof caved in at Indore’s Shri Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple in the Patel Nagar area on Thursday.
Media reports said the incident took place during Ram Navami festival celebrations.
State Disaster Response Force DIG Mahesh Chandra Jain told reporters that 12 bodies were found during the rescue operation, while two others died at a hospital. It was suspected that five more bodies were under water at the bottom of the well, he said.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each would be provided to the families of the deceased and the injured will be given Rs 50,000 each.
Rescue operations were hampered as the temple is located in a narrow area. One of its walls was broken to insert a pipe for pumping out water from the well, officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Extremely pained by the mishap in Indore. Spoke to CM Shivraj Chouhan Ji and took an update on the situation. The state government is spearheading rescue and relief work at a quick pace. My prayers with all those affected and their families.”
