BHOPAL: Seven people from a single family lost their lives early Thursday morning when a 400-year-old fort wall collapsed onto their home in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh.
The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m., and two persons were rescued by locals before being rushed to the hospital. By noon, rescue operations had recovered a total of seven bodies from the debris after seven hours of intense effort.
According to sources, neighbours were able to rescue two people from the rubble, who were then taken to the hospital.The rescue team, which arrived on the scene shortly after the collapse, managed to recover five bodies by 12 p.m.
The collapse was reported to have been preceded by a loud noise, which alerted the neighbours. “We heard a tremendous crash around 3:30 a.m., and when we went outside, we saw the wall had fallen,” said a local resident. They immediately began rescue efforts and contacted emergency services.
Collector Sandeep Makin, SP Virendra Kumar Mishra, Kotwali TI Dhirendra Mishra, and the SDERF team were on-site to oversee the rescue operations and manage the crowd. By 8 a.m., there were complaints about the slow progress of the rescue, with accusations that little progress had been made since debris removal started at 4 a.m.
“The delay in rescue operations is unacceptable,” said an angry local resident. “We expect better coordination and faster action.”
Efforts to rescue the trapped individuals were complicated by large stones and debris. It is suspected that the continuous rain over the past 30 hours had weakened the wall’s structural integrity. “The heavy rain has definitely weakened the wall,” said a rescue worker on-site. “Removing the debris has been a challenging process,” said a police officer.
The narrow road leading to the site also obstructed the arrival of large rescue vehicles. Two heavy machines and a JCB were stationed at the entrance, and efforts were made to break down the boundary wall to improve access. Initially, debris was removed manually using spades and shovels.
One of the rescued individuals, Munnalal Vanshkar, spoke to the media from the hospital. “We were all asleep when the wall collapsed,” he said. “We had been living there for the past 15 years. The heavy rainfall was a major factor in this tragic incident.”
Datia MLA Rajendra Bharti criticised the district administration for its lack of preparedness and called for immediate financial aid of Rs 5 lakh for the victims’ families and Rs 2 lakh each for the injured. “The administration’s response has been inadequate,” Bharti said. “Immediate financial assistance is crucial for the affected families, and we need to expedite the rescue efforts.” Former Home Minister Narottam Mishra has departed from Bhopal to assist in Datia, stating, “I am heading to Datia to support the local efforts and address the situation on the ground.”
The deceased include: Niranjan Vanskar, his wife Mamta, his father Radha, his sons Suraj (19) and Shivam (22), his sister Prabha and her husband Kishan Vanskar, who had been living with his in-laws for about 15 years after relocating from Gwalior. Injured in the accident were Niranjan’s brother-in-law Munna Vanskar and Munna’s son Akash, who sustained head and leg injuries and are being treated at the district hospital.
The collapsed wall, known as Diwar Shahar Panha, was built in 1629. It was slated for demolition as part of a ring road construction project, but encroachment around the structure had complicated the situation.
In response to the heavy rainfall causing significant inundation in low-lying areas of Datia, the district’s Disaster Management Officer has requested immediate assistance from the Indian Army. Due to logistical delays, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is expected to face delays in reaching the location. To address the urgent needs, an Indian Army Flood Relief Column and an Engineering Task Force (ETF) have been deployed to manage and mitigate the flood situation.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav convened an emergency meeting to assess the state’s response to the recent excessive rainfall. Held at CM House in Bhopal, the meeting was attended virtually by all divisional commissioners, Inspector Generals of Police (IGs), Commissioners of Police, District Collectors, and Superintendents of Police (SPs).
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