Five killed and 18 injured as temple roof collapses in Parbhani
Five people were killed and 18 others sustained injuries when the roof slab of an under-construction Hanuman temple collapsed in Yashwadi village, located in the Manwat taluka of Parbhani district. The incident occurred on Saturday while devotees had gathered inside the temple premises to offer prayers.
The temple had been under construction for the past six months. According to officials, construction work was carried out on all days except Saturdays, which was when devotees were permitted to enter the structure to pray.
The collapse involved heavy Rajasthan pink-stone slabs that had been interlocked and supported by temporary scaffolding. Preliminary investigations suggest that the scaffolding may not have been adequately reinforced, causing the heavy roof slab to suddenly give way and trap several people beneath the debris.
Following the collapse, emergency responders launched a large-scale rescue operation. Five heavy machines and approximately 20 ambulances were deployed to the site. Rescue teams worked for several hours to clear the debris and evacuate those trapped under the stones.
The injured victims were rushed to the Parbhani District Civil Hospital and other nearby medical facilities for treatment. The families of the deceased have been informed.
Authorities have identified four of the deceased as Santosh Sarjerao Gadde, a resident of Mantha taluka in Jalna district, alongside Akash Surduse, Munesh Ramvilas Agrawal, and Suraj Babasaheb Popatkar, who were all residents of Parbhani district. The identity of the fifth deceased victim has not yet been established.
The Manwat police are currently recording statements from eyewitnesses. Director General of Police Shahji Umap stated that the police are in the process of registering an FIR against a Rajasthan-based company that had undertaken the temple's construction, including the installation of the roof slab, due to possible construction lapses.
Police personnel were also deployed to the site to manage crowds and maintain law and order after CCTV footage of the incident began circulating on social media.
