Datia : Seven people, including two children, lost their lives after an old wall collapsed in the Khalkapura locality of Datia early Thursday morning. The incident occurred when the wall of a 'kutcha' house gave way due to continuous rainfall. Nine members of a Vanshkar family were buried under the debris, and only two survivors were rescued early on.
Datia Collector Sandeep Makin confirmed the incident. He said, "On September 12, around 4 am, the fort wall collapsed. The wall consisted of very large blocks. Due to continuous rain for about 36 hours, the wall gave way." He added that the wall's collapse was caused by heavy rainfall over two days, which weakened its structure.
According to officials, local residents quickly jumped into action, rescuing the first two victims, who were alive and were taken to a hospital for treatment. However, access to the site was challenging due to the narrow 3-foot-wide pathway, which made it impossible for heavy machinery to reach the area.
"The remaining seven people were trapped, but access was difficult due to the narrow path, making it impossible for a JCB or a Poclain Excavator Machine to reach the site," Makin said.
The Collector added that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was immediately called in to assist with the rescue efforts. Subsequently, the Superintendent of Police, along with the Collector and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, reached the spot with other officials.
SDRF teams, along with the local police and administration, managed to recover three bodies initially. Later in the day, a poclain machine was brought in to help clear the debris. By 11:45 am, all seven bodies were recovered from the site. "Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed his condolences and announced compensation for the families of the deceased, as per government regulations", Makin said.
The MP CM also announced an ex-gratia financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased. "The news of the loss of many precious lives due to the collapse of the old wall of Rajgarh Fort in Datia is extremely painful. We all are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief.
As soon as the incident was reported, the rescue operation was started immediately by the SDERF and the district administration team, but due to the narrow road, despite tireless efforts, these precious lives could not be saved. Instructions have been given to provide financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the deceased. I pray to Almighty God to grant a place in his feet to the holy souls of the departed souls and to give strength to the bereaved family to bear this lightning strike, the MP CM said in a post on X. The two survivors are currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.