Sidhi house fire kills 3 children; MP CM Mohan Yadav announces ₹6 lakh aid
Synopsis
Three children — aged one, one-and-a-half, and three — burned to death in Kasihwa village, Sidhi, after a suspected electrical short circuit ignited their home while both parents were away. The fire brigade arrived two hours late, by which time nothing was left to save. CM Mohan Yadav has announced ₹6 lakh in combined state and utility-company aid, but the tragedy puts a spotlight on rural fire-response gaps and child safety risks in daily-wage households.
Key Takeaways
Three children — Nagendra (3 years), Sandhya alias Ghummu (1.5 years), and Riddhi (1 year) — died in a house fire in Kasihwa village, Sidhi district on 23 May .
The blaze broke out at approximately 11.20 am and was reportedly caused by a short circuit from an electric pole near the house.
The fire brigade arrived nearly two hours after the incident; the house was fully destroyed by then.
CM Mohan Yadav announced ₹6 lakh in financial aid — ₹2 lakh from the state government and ₹4 lakh from MP Poorv Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company Limited .
The District Red Cross Society provided ₹20,000 in immediate relief; the district administration added ₹15,000 in funeral assistance.
Sidhi Collector Vikas Mishra visited the family and assured assistance under the Sambal Yojana .
Three young children died after a fire, reportedly triggered by a short circuit from a nearby electric pole, tore through a tiled-roof home in Kasihwa village, Sidhi district, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday, 23 May at approximately 11.20 am. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced a combined financial assistance of ₹6 lakh to the bereaved family and expressed deep condolences over what he described as an extremely distressing and heart-rending tragedy.
The Victims
The three children who perished were identified as Kumari Ghummu alias Sandhya Saket, aged approximately one-and-a-half years; her younger sister Riddhi, aged about one year; and their brother Nagendra, aged around three years. All three were alone at home at the time — their father, Ramratan Saket, had left for the city for daily wage work, while their mother had stepped out to buy groceries.
How the Fire Unfolded
According to officials, a suspected short circuit originating from an electric pole near the house set off the blaze, which rapidly engulfed the tiled-roof structure. Villagers rushed to the spot but were unable to contain the flames due to inadequate firefighting resources. The fire brigade arrived nearly two hours after the incident, by which time the house had already been reduced to ashes. The bodies were subsequently recovered and sent for post-mortem examination following police formalities.
Government Assistance Announced
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced that the Madhya Pradesh government will provide ₹2 lakh from the state exchequer, while the MP Poorv Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company Limited will contribute an additional ₹4 lakh, bringing the total assistance to ₹6 lakh. The District Red Cross Society had already disbursed immediate relief of ₹20,000, and the district administration separately extended funeral assistance of ₹15,000.
Administration on the Ground
Sidhi Collector Vikas Mishra visited Kasihwa village, consoled the grieving family, and assured prompt disbursement of benefits under the Sambal Yojana and other applicable state welfare schemes. The incident falls under Gopad Banas tehsil in Sidhi district. The delayed arrival of the fire brigade — nearly two hours after the blaze began — has drawn attention to the adequacy of emergency response infrastructure in rural Madhya Pradesh, though no official inquiry has been announced as yet.
Broader Context
Accidental fires caused by electrical faults remain a persistent hazard in rural India, where overhead wiring near homes is common and fire-response infrastructure is often thinly spread. This incident underscores the vulnerability of households where both parents are away for daily wage work, leaving young children unsupervised. The Sambal Yojana, under which assistance is being extended, is a flagship Madhya Pradesh scheme providing social security to unorganised sector workers and their families.
Point of View
By which time three children were already dead. Financial compensation addresses grief; it does not address structural failure. Rural Madhya Pradesh, like much of India, operates with fire-response infrastructure calibrated for towns, not villages. The Sambal Yojana provides a safety net for unorganised workers, but it was never designed to substitute for functional emergency services. If this incident prompts a review of rural fire-station coverage and electrical safety norms for overhead wiring near homes, it will have served a purpose beyond the headlines.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Sidhi house fire on 23 May?
Three young children died after a fire broke out at their home in Kasihwa village, Sidhi district, Madhya Pradesh, at around 11.20 am on 23 May. The blaze was reportedly caused by a short circuit from an electric pole near the house, and the children were alone at the time as both parents were away.
Who were the children who died in the Kasihwa village fire?
The victims were Nagendra Saket, aged about three years; Kumari Ghummu alias Sandhya Saket, aged approximately one-and-a-half years; and their younger sister Riddhi, aged about one year — all children of Ramratan Saket.
How much financial aid did the MP government announce for the family?
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced a total of ₹6 lakh — comprising ₹2 lakh from the state government and ₹4 lakh from MP Poorv Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company Limited. The District Red Cross Society also provided ₹20,000 in immediate relief, and the district administration extended ₹15,000 in funeral assistance.
Why did it take so long for the fire brigade to reach Kasihwa village?
According to reports, the fire brigade arrived nearly two hours after the blaze began, by which time the house had been reduced to ashes. No official explanation for the delay has been provided, and no formal inquiry has been announced as yet.
What is the Sambal Yojana, and how does it apply here?
The Sambal Yojana is a Madhya Pradesh government scheme that provides social security benefits to workers in the unorganised sector and their families. Sidhi Collector Vikas Mishra assured the bereaved family of prompt assistance under this scheme and other applicable welfare programmes.
