Stepwell roof collapse kills 35, injures 16 in India

FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2023

Thirty-five people were killed and 16 were injured after the roof of a stepwell in a temple complex collapsed in India, a local police official said on Friday.

The incident occurred in the central Indian city of Indore after a concrete slab covering the roof of a stepwell in a temple complex collapsed, crushing devotees who had gathered to celebrate the Hindu festival of Ram Navami on Thursday, officials said.

Stepwell roof collapse kills 35, injures 16 in India

Stepwells are a common feature across India, built hundreds of years ago, many of them ornately decorated, with access to a body of water through stairs and niches.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the central Indian state where Indore is located, told reporters that a slab covering the stepwell collapsed due to the crowd and "extra load" on it. One person is still missing, he added.

Reuters