Indore temple tragedy: Civic authorities removes temple's encroachments on 10,000 square feet, idols shifted

Four days after Indore temple tragedy that claimed 36 lives, local ministration on Monday morning launched a drive to remove encroachments from religious complex and moved idols of deities to anor shrine.

stepwell on which structure was built was also closed forever by dumping debris into it, an Indore Municipal Corporation official said.

Thirty-six persons were killed on March 30 after floor of , Beleshwar Mahev Jhulelal Temple in Patel Nagar, which was built in a public garden by laying a slab to cover a "bawdi" or stepwell, collapsed on Ram Navami, hurtling devotees several feet below.

On Monday, encroachments at temple were removed in presence of a sizable number of police personnel, with ros leing to place of worship being barriced, an official said.

"We have removed all illegal constructions in public garden in order to ensure safety of citizens. bawdi has been filled with debris so that no accident takes place," Indore Municipal Corporation ditional commissioner Siddharth Jain told reporters.

A new temple that was being built beside ill-fated one has also been demolished as re was a risk of landslide at site following March 30 incident, he said.

Action was taken to remove encroachments on 10,000 square feet of land around Beleshwar Mahev Jhulelal Temple complex, anor civic official informed.

A temple priest present on spot said prayers were offered to idols according to rituals and y were shifted to Kantafod temple.

Meanwhile, activists of some right-wing groups protested anti-encroachment action at temple and took out a procession in Sindhi Colony in vicinity.

A local Vishwa Hindu Parish functionary said anti-encroachment action was illegal and was being done to hide failure of civic body to avert tragedy.

Laxmikant Patel, who lost his wife, daughter-in-law and two or relatives in tragedy, also condemned action. He lives close by and along with his kin have been looking after temple for years now.

After tragedy last Thursday, an FIR was lodged against Beleshwar Mahev Jhulelal Temple Trust president Sevaram Galani and secretary Murli Kumar Sabnani under Indian Penal Code Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Juni Indore police station in-charge Neeraj Meda said.

two have been accused of carrying out unsafe work at temple by getting stepwell covered and also ignoring Indore Municipal Corporation directives to remove encroachments and illegal ditions to structure, as per police.

Both are yet to be arrested as Sabnani was injured in incident and Galani is recuperating from an earlier accident, police said.