This morning, a tragedy occurred at the Beleshwar Mahadev temple in Indore, where more than 30 people fell into a stepwell after the roof over it collapsed amid heavy footfall on the occasion of Ram Navami. Nine devotees, including two children, have been rescued and taken to a hospital, but around 25 people are still trapped inside. Police and rescue teams, with at least 12 ambulances, are working to rescue those still trapped.
The incident took place amidst a rush of devotees on the occasion of Ram Navami, and videos from the scene show that the floor of the temple caved in due to heavy footfall, throwing people into the stepwell. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that 10 people have been rescued so far, and efforts are underway to move the others to safety.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his concern over the incident and tweeted his prayers for all those affected and their families. The Indore collector, T Raja, said that the administration is closely monitoring the situation, and rescue work is ongoing.
