One of the victims of of Indore temple stepwell collapse incident that claimed at least 35 lives yesterday shared his ordeal, describing how suddenly the roof of the well, where around 40-50 people including women and children were there at the temple for special Ram Navami prayers, collasped. Speaking to news agency ANI, Lalit K Sethia said: “Everyone was yelling for help. The water down was so muddy, making it impossible to even breathe….. there was mayhem".

When the reporter inquired about his rescue, Sethia replied that a local pulled him out using rope, adding that was he the first one to be rescued. Sethi suffered a fracture in his right hand and has sustained minor wounds.

The incident happened on Thursday at Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple in Indore, where a sea of devotees were gathered for special pooja of Ram Navami. Reportedly, roof of a stepwell caved in owing to heavy footfall, throwing people into the well.

"We were standing on the stepwell when the incident happened as stepwell collapsed, there were about 40-50 people including women and children. There was mayhem. I was the first one to be rescued," says one of the victims Lalit K Sethia of Indore temple stepwell collapse incident pic.twitter.com/f7wJwHHYPv

— ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2023

A rescue operation led by the Madhya Pradesh police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Emergency and Response Force (SDERF) and district administration is still underway.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced 5 lakh exgratia to the kin of the deceased while 50,000 to the injured. The exgratia of 2 lakh will also be given through Prime Minister Relief Fund.

Questions are now being raised as to how did the administration allow construction of a slab atop an ancient well. The head priest of the temple Laxminarayan Sharma said the roof was constructed without any concrete support by putting stone slabs and concrete by fitting iron rods.