Indore stepwell collapse: Days after the tragic incident that killed 36 people in Indore, the local administration on Monday deployed bulldozers to Beleshwar Jhulelal Mahadev temple in Madhya Pradesh on Monday to demolish illegal construction. The idols of deities were also moved to another shrine.
Following strict instructions from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the drive was launched at around 6 am on Monday morning in the temple premises in Patel Nagar area of Indore in the presence of heavy police security. According to the officials, the action was being taken to remove encroachments from about 10,000 square feet of land around the temple premises.
The local people protested against the demolition, but they were the police deployed during the drive ensured the action was carried out without any disturbance. Heavy police personnel were deployed during the operation and police of four police stations including Juni Indore, Bhanwarkuan, Raoji Bazar were deployed to handle law and order.
Idols of deities shifted to Kantafod temple
Meanwhile, a temple priest present on the spot said that prayers were offered to idols at the temple according to rituals following which they were shifted to Kantafod temple.
The floor of a stepwell of the temple caved in during a Havan on the day of Ram Navami. The temple and stepwell are said to be about 60 years old. Eyewitnesses said that about 20 to 25 people were performing 'havan' on the terrace built above the stepwell. The roof caved in due to excess weight, they said.
After the tragedy last Thursday, an FIR was lodged against Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple Trust president Sevaram Galani and secretary Murli Kumar Sabnani under Indian Penal Code Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Juni Indore police station in-charge Neeraj Meda said.
Also Read: Indore temple stepwell collapse: Death toll rises to 36, CM orders magisterial inquiry
Construction work done without abiding by rules
The two accused are facing charges that they had got an unsafe construction work done by putting a roof over the stepwell. "The Indore Municipal Corporation had ordered the trust to remove the illegal construction at the temple complex, but the trust did not obey the order,” he said.
Additional Commissioner, Indore Municipal Corporation said that it was constructed without abiding by rules. "To ensure safety, a construction there has been demolished. It was constructed without abiding by rules," he said.
CM orders magisterial inquiry
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. “FIR registered, magisterial inquiry ordered into the incident. Action will be taken against found responsible. The current priority is the rescue operation. The injured will be treated free of cost. PM has also announced ex-gratia amount to the victims. We have ordered an inspection of such step-wells and borewells across the state,” said Chouhan.
Notably, after the temple incident, the Narmadapuram district administration is conducting a survey of old stepwells, wells and open tube wells, which have been closed in an unsafe manner so that no such incident happens again in future.
(With agencies input)
Also Read: Indore: Ram Navami celebrations turn tragic as roof of temple stepwell collapses; death toll rises to 14
