At least 36 killed, 16 injured after well cover collapses inside packed temple in India

Eyewitnesses say many of those who died were women and children

At least 36 people lost their lives and dozens more were injured inside a temple in India when the roof of a stepwell collapsed due to heavy footfall on Thursday.

The incident took place at the Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple in central India’s Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Local officials said a massive crowd of pilgrims were at the temple for the Hindu festival of Ram Navami.

“We have recovered 36 bodies and everybody is accounted for now,” Pawan Kumar Sharma, commissioner of the local municipal corporation, told The Associated Press.

The secretary of the temple board was among the dead and the president is recovering from injuries.

So far, a team of 140 people have been deployed by the state government to help with the search and rescue operation. It includes at least 75 army personnel as well.

At least 16 people are currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital for their injuries, Mr Sharma said. He said that the other two rescued “are doing fine”.

Police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, but no arrests have been made so far, the authorities added.

Kantibhai Patel, president of a residents’ association, alleged that the authorities were slow to react and the first ambulance reached the spot an hour after the alert.

Prime minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of those dead at the temple: “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 [are] with all those affected and their families.”

Chief minister of the state Mr Chouhan has launched a probe into the incident that led to the deaths. He has asked the local officials in Indore to investigate the cause of the collapse of the roof of the stepwell inside the temple compound.

An exgratia of Rs 500,000 (£4,913) has been announced for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 (£493) for the injured in the incident.

The CM told the media on Thursday: “Due to the heavy load on the stepwell, it sank. I have given instructions to investigate the incident. In this unfortunate incident, the government stands with all those families with full sensitivity, whom we could not save.”

Eyewitnesses said that more than 30 people who were standing on the roof of the well fell inside when it collapsed due to heavy footfall.

Rescue team members were seen offering ropes and ladders to those inside the well.

Indian Express reported that the Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple in Patel Nagar, Indore, had been constructed after covering the well about four decades ago.

President of India Droupadi Murmu also expressed her “deepest condolences to all the bereaved families” and said that she was “deeply saddened by the news of the death of many people in the accident in Indore”.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed his anguish over the mishap. “The news of the accident during the festival at Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple in Indore is very sad. I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who died in this accident. I hope for the speedy recovery of all the injured,” he tweeted.

One eyewitness, Prakash Patel, was quoted as saying by AFP  that “some people inside the well clung to an iron mesh, and many of those who died were women and children”.