Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 31 (ANI): The funeral procession of 11 persons among 36, who died in Indore‘s temple stepwell floor collapse incident, was taken out in the Patel Nagar locality in the city on Friday. The incident occurred at Beleshwar Jhulelal Mahadev Temple around 11am on Thursday during a Havan puja going on in view of the Ram Navami festival. Soon after the incident, the rescue operation began and it continued for around 24 hours till Friday afternoon.
A total of 36 persons died and 16 people were rescued in the incident. People belonging to various communities of the city participated in the funeral. The entire area was inconsolable seeing the funeral processions in the city. The bodies were brought from all around to Patel Dharamshala in the city and after that they were taken to Muktidham (crematorium) by ambulances and Gujarati community buses.
Earlier on Friday morning, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reached Indore and met with the injured undergoing treatment at a hospital in the city. CM Chouhan and his cabinet ministers also inspected the rescue operation at the site of the incident. He said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident and action will be taken against those found responsible.
“An FIR was registered, and a magisterial inquiry was ordered into the incident. Action will be taken against those found responsible. The current priority is the rescue operation. The injured will be treated free of cost. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also announced the ex-gratia amount to the victims. We have ordered an inspection of such step-wells and borewells across the state,” Chouhan said.
On the other hand, Indore Commissioner of Police (CP) Makrand Deoskar said, “A case has been registered against the President, Sewaram Galani and Secretary, Murli Sabnani of temple trust under IPC section 304 (Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder).”
Besides, the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) had issued notices regarding an illegal construction at the stepwell of the temple. As no action was taken into the matter, two officials of the municipal corporation, Building Officer P R Aroliya and Building Inspector Prabhat Tiwari were suspended by the IMC Commissioner Pratibha Pal on Friday. (ANI)
