Indore: Death toll rises to 36; FIR registered against temple authorities

MP CM inspected the rescue ops at the site on Friday

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ ITDC NEWS : 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.