Indore temple tragedy: MP HC expresses displeasure over incomplete police probe

The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh said the accused are yet to be put on trial while the departmental inquiry into the floor cave in tragedy that unfolded in a temple built over a stepwell, killing 36 persons.

Indore:The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court expressed its displeasure over the pace of the probe by the police and as well as the administration into the temple tragedy reported on March 30 last year that killed 36 persons, on Friday, urging the state police to complete its inquiry at least before the first anniversary of the incident.

The floor cave in of Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple built on a covered stepwell on Ram Navami last year led to the death of 36 persons, including 21 women and several children.

"Neither the accused have been put on trial nor the departmental enquiry has been completed," a division bench comprising Justices Justice Vivek Rusia and Anil Verma rued while they heard two connected Public Interest Litigations.

"The Station House Officer, Police Station Juni Indore, District Indore is directed to complete the investigation in the FIR. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Indore of the concerned zone is directed to monitor the investigation and see that it should be completed at least before completion of one year from the date of the incident," the bench observed.

According to a magisterial inquiry, the Indore Municipal Corporation officials have been found guilty of being negligent in performing their duty. The probe report indicted them of having failed to protect the stepwell and not marking or placing a signboard, marking the stepwell.

"It is very unfortunate that the above report was submitted by the executive magistrate on July 11, 2023 to the Indore Collector and the same was not brought to the knowledge of this court as well as the general public well within time," the Judges said.

"This report was disclosed only when this court passed an order on November 28, 2023 by giving directions to submit the status of the enquiry report and the current status of the FIR. Now vide application dated December 30, 2023, this magistrate report has been filed. But the status report has not been filed in respect of the FIR," they added.

The court noted that assistant engineers PR Aroliya and Prabhat Tiwari were placed under suspension on March 31, a day after the incident and chargesheet was issued on May 10, 2023.

"Enquiry officers have been appointed but till then the departmental enquiry has not been completed in this matter," the bench said.

The petitioners submitted that wells and stepwells were closed following the tragedy and sought the Court's intervention. Taking note, the HC directed the local body to reopen them for public use, asking it to clean them from time to time and carry out maintenance works.

'Bavadees'(stepwells) are an integral part of our cultural life and the evidence of stepwells dates back to the Indus Valley Civilisation between 2500-1700 B.C, the court noted.