At least 24 persons, including eight women and five children, were killed and 30 others were injured when a wall of a marriage hall collapsed during a heavy storm in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan late last night.
SHO Sewar Khalil Ahmed said the seriously injured were admitted to Raj Bahadur Medical Hospital.
The deceased were identified as Baby (35), Anuradha (26), Rajkumari (35), Geeta (40), Indradevi (32), Rajkumari Koli (42), Pooja (13), Meena (45), Shakuntla (63), Badriwal (78), Vishal (14), Vindod (30), Pradeep (35), Ravi Sharma (22), Kunwar (11), Ashok Saini (44), Madan (60), Vindo Mali (42), Raghvendra (18), Gulraj (40), Prince (7), Gaurav (11), Ramkishan (20) and one is yet to be identified.A marriage function was going on in the hall when the storm hit the area.
People took shelter under a tin shed attached to a wall, which collapsed suddenly, leaving 24 dead and 30 injured.
Police said the entire structure of the wall and the shed collapsed and those who had taken shelter got trapped. Several food stalls were set up adjoining the wall that was around 12-foot high and 50-foot long.
Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje condoled the deaths and gave necessary instructions to officers concerned for proper treatment of the injured.
Meanwhile, a case was on Thursday registered against the owner of the marriage hall, while his younger brother has been arrested. Superintendent of Police Anil Tank said the marriage home owner has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. He said a survey of all the marriage homes and gardens in Bharatpur will be conducted to review safety and security measures. A marriage function was going on in the hall, where at least 800 people had gathered, when the storm hit the area yesterday. People had taken shelter under a shed attached to a wall which collapsed suddenly.
He said the entire wall and the shed collapsed and they got trapped. The weather suddenly changed and heavy winds started blowing leading to the incident at the Sewar Road. Bharatpur Collector N K Gupta said an exgratia of Rs 50,000 each would be paid to the next of the kin of the deceased, and Rs10,000 each to the injured persons.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of those killed in a wall collapse in a marriage hall in Bharatpur.
Expressing his condolences, Modi said: “I am pained beyond words… My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. I hope the injured recover soon.” He also announced Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured in the incident.
