35 deaths so far in Indore’s temple accident: Rescue continues in Bawdi; CM Shivraj visits

So far 35 people have lost their lives in the Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple accident in Indore. More than 20 people are still undergoing treatment. The rescue operation continued till late night. Between 12 and 1.30 am, 16 more bodies were taken out. Rescue was resumed on Friday morning. The walls and slabs of the stepwell are being broken. The army has also taken care of the front. Several teams of the administration are also involved in the rescue operation. Black water is coming out of the stepwell, due to which the team is facing trouble.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reached to meet the people of Gujarati community. Here the crowd raised slogans of Hi-Hi and Murdabad. Officials of Patel society say that CM Shivraj should have met the families of those who died here. Many people were earlier told by the officers including the ADM that the Chief Minister would meet the family and know their suffering. Later the program has been cancelled.

Worship was being done here on Ram Navami on Thursday. Havan started at 11 am. Inside the temple premises, more than 60 people were sitting on the terrace made of stepwell’s girder floor. The slab fell heavily at around 12.15 pm. All the people fell into 60 feet deep step well. This temple is about 60 years old.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met the injured and their families on Friday morning. He said- ‘The government will get the injured treated. Such covered wells and stepwells will be found and opened in the state so that no accident happens again.’ After this he also visited the spot.

Eyewitness Laxmikant Patel told that for the first time the havan was done inside, as the idols were going to be shifted to the new temple from next year, so it was decided that the havan would be performed in front of the deity. This was the reason that such a crowd gathered at the stepwell.

A 53-year-old man named Sunil is still missing. In search of him, the army personnel started the rescue on Friday morning. The wall and slab of the stepwell are being broken.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Home Minister Narottam Mishra met Pujari and other injured at Apple Hospital in Indore.

Rajesh Yadav also fell in the stepwell. The rescue team took them out. He told, ‘Suddenly the ground caved in at the time of Purnahuti. We fell in the stepwell. Everyone was shouting. Somehow I reached the corner of the stepwell. The floors around were sinking. 10-12 people stopped with me holding stones. A woman was being taken up by a rope, when she fell from above and could not save her.

On the other hand, water was repeatedly filling in the stepwell, due to which the rescue was affected. Sewerage water was also coming. Police pulled people out of the well with the help of local people with the help of ropes. Officials suspect that some more bodies may still be buried under the debris.