Temple wall collapse: Death due to negligence case lodged against 4 by Sangli police

Kolhapur: The Sangli police have booked two priests, a bricklayer and a fabricator for causing death by negligence after six devotees were killed and 13 injured when a wall collapsed at a temple in Jat tehsil amid gusty winds on Tuesday.The incident occurred at the Margubai temple in Motewadi village, where devotees had taken shelter from sudden rain when strong winds blew tin sheets onto an unfinished wall, causing it to collapse. A case has been registered at Umadi police station under BNS sections 106 (causing death by negligence), 125 (causing hurt) and 125(b) (causing grievous hurt).No arrests have been made so far.According to the FIR registered by police head constable Lakshman Baban Bandgar, the structure was poorly built and unsafe. "Three years ago, the shelter was erected on the direction of the two priests of the temple. The two priests have the responsibility to look after the activities inside the temple and its premises. They hired a man to carry out the work of the wall and another person to fabricate the structure. The incident happened because of the poor quality of work. The structures were technically unsafe and the winds caused their destruction. The negligence caused the deaths and left several injuries," the complaint stated.Sangli guardian minister Chandrakant Patil, who visited the injured people admitted to hospitals, announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the four deceased from Maharashtra and said govt is exploring legal options to extend compensation to the kin of two victims from Karnataka. He also said the state would bear the medical expenses of all injured."I paid visit to the injured. We have learnt 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. Wind blew the tin metal sheets, which fell upon the wall, which collapsed and people died," Patil said.District collector Mainak Ghosh said all injured people are stable. "The proposal to give an ex gratia amount to the relatives of the deceased is ready and will be sent to govt for approval," he said.The injured are undergoing treatment at Miraj Medical College in Sangli, Synergy Hospital in Sangli, and at healthcare facilities in Jat, Sankh and Vijaypura in neighbouring Karnataka.