What Caused the Wall Collapse in Bageshwar Dham, MP?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- One devotee died and nearly a dozen were injured due to the wall collapse.
- The incident occurred at Bageshwar Dham during a heavy downpour.
- Emergency services acted quickly to rescue the trapped individuals.
- Safety concerns have been raised regarding religious sites during adverse weather.
- This marks the second tragic event at Bageshwar Dham in a week.
Chhatarpur, July 8 (NationPress) - A devastating event unfolded at Bageshwar Dham, the ashram of renowned spiritual storyteller Dhirendra Shastri, located in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district, due to heavy rainfall. One devotee tragically lost her life while nearly a dozen others sustained injuries when a wall of an aged building collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday.
The structure that fell was part of a dharamshala (rest house) at Bageshwar Dham, designed to provide affordable overnight accommodations for devotees.
At the time of the incident, the devotees were asleep and were subsequently trapped under the rubble.
Local police responded promptly to the scene and managed to rescue those buried under the debris. Injured individuals were transported to a nearby government hospital in Chhatarpur.
During medical treatment, one woman unfortunately succumbed to her injuries. She has been identified as Anita Devi (40), a resident of Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, who had visited Bageshwar Dham to offer her prayers the previous day.
A senior medical officer in Chhatarpur, Dr. R.P. Gupta, confirmed the incident, noting that approximately 12 individuals were admitted to the district hospital for treatment. One patient died during the course of care.
“Our medical team is endeavoring to provide the best available treatment for those affected by the Bageshwar Dham building collapse,” stated Dr. Gupta.
“We received 11 individuals from Bageshwar Dham. Sadly, one woman has died. A few others with serious injuries have been referred to specialized hospitals, while the remaining patients are in stable condition,” added Doctor Oajh Dosajh in a conversation with IANS.
“These devotees came to Bageshwar Dham to pray, mainly from Uttar Pradesh. A wall collapsed, resulting in injuries to 11 individuals,” he continued.
An injured devotee, whose sister-in-law perished in the incident, recounted to IANS, “We came to Bageshwar Dham for prayers. While we were resting, a wall fell on us due to intense rainfall late at night. My sister-in-law died, and others were injured. We had paid Rs 200 for our stay.”
“My sister-in-law is gone. My husband is okay, but my daughter has fractured legs. There were many people present, so we cannot determine the exact count,” said another relative of the deceased.
This incident marks the second tragedy at Bageshwar Dham within a week.
Previously, on July 3, another devotee lost their life and eight others were injured when a tent collapsed shortly after the morning 'aarti'. Devotees had sought refuge under the tent from the rain when a heavy iron angle from the structure fell, striking a man on the head and killing him instantly. Several injured individuals were taken to Bamitha Primary Health Centre, while others were admitted to Khajuraho Primary Health Centre. Four individuals with serious injuries were transferred to the district hospital.