New DelhiSeven people were killed and 37 others injured when a tree fell on a tin shed in a temple complex following strong wind and rain in Maharashtra’s Akola district.
Akola Collector Neema Arora said that the incident took place at Babuji Maharaj temple in Paras village of Balapur taluka at around 7.30 pm on Sunday when people had gathered for ‘maha aarti’.
video | At least seven people were killed and 23 others injured when an old tree fell on a tin shed following strong wind and rain in Maharashtra’s Akola district on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/Aj8LIflocl– Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 10, 2023
State Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the incident and termed it as ‘very serious and unfortunate’. Fadnavis said seven people were killed and 37 others were injured. He said that he has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
He said that the government would give compensation to the families of the deceased. District officials said a compensation of Rs 4 lakh would be given to the families of each of the deceased and the injured persons would be given financial assistance as per government norms.
Due to strong wind and rain, a 100-year-old tree fell on a tin shed, under which around 40 people were standing, the district administration said. It said five men and two women were killed and 37 others were injured.
An official said that after getting the information, the police and district disaster management officials reached the spot and started the rescue operation. The district administration said the injured were taken to the general hospital in Akola.
The two women who died in the incident were aged 50 and 55 and were residents of Jalgaon and Buldhana. Of the five dead, two were 55 years old and one was 35 years old, residents of Akola. Two other people are yet to be identified, the release said.
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief
Deputy CM Fadnavis expressed grief over the incident by tweeting. He said that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has decided to give compensation to the families of the deceased. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis said the incident was “very serious and unfortunate” and he has ordered an inquiry.
The government will bear the expenses of the treatment of the injured. Besides, the families of the deceased would be given assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, he said. The government has ordered a ‘panchnama’ (on-the-spot inspection) of damage caused by unseasonal rains in parts of the state. “We have received a preliminary estimate of the damage and the final assessment is under process,” he added.