Death toll in Indore temple tragedy rises to 35
What's the story
As many as 35 people were confirmed dead on Friday in the Indore temple tragedy, a day after a slab constructed on top of an old well collapsed during a Ram Navami celebration at the Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple in Madhya Pradesh (MP).
According to officials, 12 bodies were recovered during the rescue operation late last night, while five more could still be underwater.
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14 people rescued so far, 1 still missing: Indore collector
As per Indore Collector Ilayaraja T, 14 people have been successfully rescued, while one individual is still missing.
He also added that the rescue operation began nearly 18 hours ago on Thursday and is still ongoing to track down the missing person.
Furthermore, Ilayaraja revealed that two people have also returned home after receiving treatment.
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Details on 18 hours long rescue operation
Speaking to the news agency ANI, Ilayaraja stated: "Total of 35 people died, one missing and 14 people have been rescued. Two people returned home safely after getting treatment. The search operation to trace persons reported missing is underway."
He added, "The 18 hours long rescue operation started at around 12:30 on Thursday and is still ongoing."
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CM Chouhan announces Rs. 5 lakh ex-gratia
On the back of this tragedy, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan officially announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh to the deceased's next of kin.
Chouhan also announced that Rs. 50,000 would be given to those injured in the incident.
Furthermore, Home Minister Narottam Mishra said the government has ordered an investigation into the tragedy.
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PM Modi reacts to Indore temple mishap
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed heartfelt condolences after the Indore mishap and said: "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 with all those affected and their families," Modi wrote on Twitter.
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Details on Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple tragedy
On Thursday, a havan was being performed on Ram Navami on the concrete slab covering a stepwell that acted as the base of the temple.
Reportedly, the concrete slab wasn't strong enough to withstand the weight of nearly 50 people, resulting in devotees dropping into the 40-foot-deep stepwell.
Notably, the temple was constructed after the stepwell had been covered nearly 40 years ago.
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Know about rescue operations after incident
The tragedy prompted an Army rescue unit from nearby Mhow town to rush in to help with operations. Reportedly, rescue operations were hampered due to the temple being located in a narrow area.
According to the news agency PTI, one of the temple's walls was broken to insert a pipe to pump water out of the well.