Indore temple stepwell tragedy: Bulldozers roll in as crackdown ordered on illegal structure

The temple area that collapsed was an illegal structure and the Indore Municipal Corporation had marked the cover of the stepwell for demolition last year, but they backed down after the temple trust warned them religious sentiments would be hurt.

More than 5 bulldozers on Monday (April 3) rolled into the Beleshwar Mahadev temple in Indore, Madhya Pradesh days after a tragic accident that killed 36 people, to demolish illegal construction. It is reportedly said that a large contingent of municipal and police officials reached the temple to ensure the action was carried out without any disturbance.

Police officials were also deployed to prevent any possible resistance. The Deputy Municipal Commissioner, District Magistrate, and other officials are also present at the spot.

The stepwell tragedy, in which some families lost more than one member, could have been averted had the Indore Municipal Corporation acted on complaints filed by residents.

The temple area that collapsed was an illegal structure and the Indore Municipal Corporation had marked the cover of the stepwell for demolition last year, but they backed down after the temple trust warned them religious sentiments would be hurt.

The stepwell roof broke due to the weight of the crowds on Ram Navami. A havan was being performed when the incident happened.

The temple, managed by a private trust, is located at Sneh Nagar, one of the oldest residential colonies in Indore.

The 200-year-old stepwell was covered with four iron girders, a thin layer of concrete and tiles incapable of holding the weight of the crowd that gathered to offer puja on Ram Navami.

The walls had come up around the floor. A tin shed was set up as the roof of the temple. People gathered at Shri Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple for a havan (ritual) did not know that the ground beneath their feet hid a deep well amid rusty iron grills.