20 June,2026 08:15 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | mid-day online correspondent
Police, district administration officials and emergency response teams were quickly deployed to the site following the collapse. Representational Pic/File
At least five persons died and 18 were injured after the under-construction roof of a Hanuman temple collapsed at Yashwadi village in Maharashtra''s Parbhani district on Saturday afternoon, prompting an immediate rescue operation by local authorities, police said, reported the PTI.
The village is located on the Parbhani-Manwat road, about 190 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
The incident occurred at around 3.30 pm when the slab of the temple's assembly hall, known as the sabha mandap, suddenly gave way.
Police, district administration officials and emergency response teams were quickly deployed to the site following the collapse.
According to officials, around 25 people had been rescued from beneath the debris by the time initial reports emerged. Rescue teams continued their efforts as authorities worked to determine whether more people remained trapped, according to the PTI.
Officials said it was not immediately clear how many devotees were inside the structure when the collapse occurred.
The officials were also assessing the condition of those rescued, and there was no confirmed information regarding serious injuries in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
The temple had reportedly attracted a significant number of devotees on Saturday, a day traditionally associated with worship of Lord Hanuman, as per the PTI.
The increased footfall is believed to have resulted in a large crowd being present at the temple when the structure collapsed.
Yashwadi village is situated on the Manwat road in Parbhani district, approximately 190 kilometres from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
The deceased were identified as Santosh Gadade (resident of Mantha), Akash Surduse (Parbhani), Munesh Agarwal (26, Jintur), Suraj Popatkar (20, Manwat), and Srikrushna Gaware (38, Wadvani-Beed).
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the deaths of devotees, and said the injured were being provided medical treatment. The kin of the deceased will receive financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each, he announced.
Meanwhile, the Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) has directed schools and transport operators to strictly adhere to student safety norms following concerns about unsafe transportation of schoolchildren in the city, according to an official release, reported the PTI.
The directions were issued during a meeting chaired by Bhiwandi Mayor Narayan Ratan Chaudhary on Friday, which was attended by school principals, traffic police officials, and civic officers.
"Considering that irregularities in the transportation of school students can pose a threat to their safety, a detailed review meeting was conducted to identify solutions and ensure strict compliance with safety norms," the release said, as per the PTI.
During the meeting, the mayor instructed schools to deploy at least two staff members to supervise students during entry and dispersal hours.
(with PTI inputs)
