Five killed, 18 injured as under-construction temple roof collapses in Parbhani

“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.

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.