No fewer than thirty-five people have been killed after falling into a well while offering prayers at a temple in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Fourteen others have been rescued and one person is still missing in the accident that took place in Indore city. Police said the victims were standing on a concrete slab over the well when it collapsed under their weight. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was extremely pained by the mishap.
The incident took place on Thursday during a prayer ceremony organized at Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple on the occasion of Hindu festival of Ram Navami. A large crowd of devotees were standing on the concrete slab covering the well which collapsed under their weight, plunging dozens of people into the almost 40ft deep well. A team of seventy-five personnel, including those from the state and national disaster response forces are engaged in rescue efforts.
Chidozie Chima | September 13, 2024
