Kolhapur: The Sangli police have registered a case against two priests, a bricklayer, and a fabricator for causing death by negligence after a wall collapsed at a temple in Jat tehsil amid gusty winds on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of six devotees and injuries to 13 others.
Incident Details
The tragedy occurred at the Margubai temple in Motewadi village. Devotees had sought shelter from sudden rain when strong winds blew tin sheets onto an unfinished wall, causing it to collapse. The case has been registered at Umadi police station under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 106 (causing death by negligence), 125 (causing hurt), and 125(b) (causing grievous hurt). No arrests have been made so far.
FIR Highlights Poor Construction
According to the First Information Report filed by police head constable Lakshman Baban Bandgar, the structure was poorly built and unsafe. The complaint stated: "Three years ago, the shelter was erected under the direction of the two priests of the temple. The priests had the responsibility to oversee activities inside the temple and its premises. They hired a bricklayer to construct the wall and a fabricator to build the structure. The incident occurred due to the poor quality of work. The structures were technically unsafe, and the winds caused their destruction. The negligence led to deaths and several injuries."
Government Response
Sangli guardian minister Chandrakant Patil visited the injured at hospitals and announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the four deceased from Maharashtra. He stated that the government is exploring legal options to extend compensation to the families of two victims from Karnataka. Patil also confirmed that the state would bear all medical expenses of the injured.
"I visited the injured. We have learned that the sheds were erected by private individuals through donations. They used chira bricks, which are heavy. Had they used regular bricks, people would not have died. The wind blew the tin sheets, which fell upon the wall, causing it to collapse and resulting in deaths," Patil said.
Medical and Administrative Updates
District collector Mainak Ghosh confirmed that all injured individuals are stable. "The proposal to provide ex gratia to the relatives of the deceased is ready and will be sent to the government for approval," he said. The injured are receiving treatment at Miraj Medical College in Sangli, Synergy Hospital in Sangli, and healthcare facilities in Jat, Sankh, and Vijaypura in neighboring Karnataka.
