9 children killed in temple wall collapse due to heavy rain in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar

Nine children were killed and several more are feared trapped after a temple wall collapsed in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district on Sunday morning, said the authorities.

The children were buried under the debris of the collapsed wall. Some children are injured, and they are under treatment, while all the debris has been removed from the site of the incident, said Sagar District Collector Deepak Arya.

The incident took place at around roughly 8:30 am on Sunday morning, after incessant rainfall weakened the foundation of the structure.

“…The incident happened around 8.30 am. The wall fell on the children, due to which 9 children died and 2 are undergoing treatment in the hospital…” the district collector told ANI.

The incident took place during a religious programme in Shahpur village under Rehli assembly seat, an official said. The nine children who died in the wall collapse were aged between 10 to 15 years.

The incident took place at the Hardayal temple, the walls of which are over 50 years old, reported India Today. Earthen shivlings were being made as part of the Sawan festivities at the temple when the wall collapsed.

Visuals from the site showed police officers surrounding the area and bulldozers digging through the debris to rescue the trapped children.

This incident comes just a day after the wall of an abandoned building collapsed in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district, killing four children after they got trapped under the rubble.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed his grief over the tragic incident on Saturday, announcing an ex gratia amount of ₹2 lakh each for the families of the victim children.

Two people were arrested in Rewa in connection with the building collapse incident on Saturday. The two were owners of the building, and a case was registered against the two under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).