2 min readUpdated: Jun 21, 2026 04:58 AM IST
At least five persons were killed and 18 others injured after the roof slab of an under-construction Hanuman temple collapsed in Parbhani district on Saturday.
According to police, the incident occurred in Yashwadi village of Manwat taluka when devotees had gathered inside the temple and were offering prayers.
The roof slab of the under-construction structure suddenly gave way, trapping several people beneath the debris.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the scaffolding supporting the heavy roof slab may not have been adequately reinforced, leading to the collapse.
The Manwat police are recording the statements of eyewitnesses and are in the process of registering an FIR against the company involved in the construction, said a police officer.
“The FIR will be registered against a Rajasthan-based company that had undertaken the temple’s construction work, including the installation of the roof slab. As per the preliminary investigation it appears there are possible construction lapses,” said Director General of Police Shahji Umap.
The deceased have been identified as Santosh Sarjerao Gadde, a resident of Mantha taluka in Jalna district, Akash Surduse, Munesh Ramvilas Agrawal and Suraj Babasaheb Popatkar, all residents of Parbhani district. The identity of the fifth victim is yet to be established.
The temple had been under construction for the past six months. Construction work was reportedly carried out on all days except Saturdays, when devotees were allowed to enter the premises for prayers. The collapse allegedly involved heavy Rajasthan pink-stone slabs, which had been interlocked and supported by the temporary scaffolding, said another officer.
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A large-scale rescue operation was carried out immediately after the incident, with five heavy machines and around 20 ambulances pressed into service. Rescue teams worked for a few hours to remove debris and evacuate the trapped devotees. The injured were shifted to the Parbhani District Civil Hospital and other nearby medical facilities, where they are undergoing treatment. The families of the deceased have been informed, said an official.
Meanwhile, CCTV footage of the collapse surfaced on social media , drawing large crowds to the site. Police personnel were deployed to manage the crowd and maintain law and order as the investigation into the cause of the collapse continues.
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