Nine children, aged 10 to 14, died and four others were critically injured on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at a temple in Shahpur town, Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district, India, when a nearby house’s wall, weakened by rain, collapsed on them. The children were making earthen Shivlings when the 50-year-old wall fell.
This marks the second such incident in the state within two days.
On Saturday, August 2, four children aged five to seven died in a wall collapse in Rewa district while returning from school. In both cases, the walls were dilapidated and left unattended.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered the removal of the Sagar collector, Superintendent of Police, and the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate. He also suspended the Chief Municipal Officer and a sub-engineer of Shahpur.
Many children killed in the collapse were their parents’ only child.
Over a dozen children had gathered under a tent to create Shivlings (symbols used to represent the god Shiva) out of clay during a crowded event at Hardaul Baba Temple. At around 10 AM, the wall of the adjoining house collapsed on the tent, trapping the children under debris.
One report said vibrations from loud DJ music being played at the temple could have weakened the already precarious wall.
Collector Deepak Arya, who led the rescue, confirmed the wall collapse was due to rain. Amid the chaos, parents and villagers dug through the debris with bare hands to reach the children, aided by police and heavy machinery.
Two children died on the spot. Nine others were rushed to the hospital, where seven more died. The two survivors are in stable condition, according to Arya.
Chief Minister Chouhan expressed grief and announced aid of Rs 4 lakh for the kin of each deceased, adding, “I have directed the district administration to provide proper treatment to the injured.” The Chief Minister ordered an immediate statewide review of dilapidated buildings and instructed officials to prevent similar incidents. “Chief municipal officer (Shahpur) and sub-engineer were found guilty of negligence and have been suspended,” the Chief Minister posted on X.
In Rewa on Saturday, the wall that collapsed and killed four children was just 20 meters from their school in Garh village. Another child and the mother of one of the victims are in critical condition. School authorities and parents had repeatedly requested the owner of the plot to demolish the wall, but no action was taken.