Bharatpur wall collapse: Case filed against marriage hall owner; PM Modi announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh

Expressing pain at the loss of lives in a wall collapse during a wedding at Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. The prime minister also announced Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured.

“The incident in Bharatpur has pained me beyond words. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. I hope the injured recover soon,” he said.

Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of those killed, the PMO said.

Twenty-three people, including four children, were killed and 27 injured when a wall of a marriage hall collapsed during a heavy storm in Bharatpur on Wednesday. 

Rajasthan govt orders inquiry, case against hall owner

ALSO READ | 25 killed as wall of marriage hall collapses due to heavy storm and rain in Bharatpur

The Rajasthan government has ordered an inquiry into the Bharatpur wall collapse, while the police have registered a case against the hall owner who is absconding.

The incident occurred on Wednesday on Sewar road in Bharatpur where a nearly 12-feet high wall collapsed following a storm accompanied by rains. A wedding was going on when the wall came down trapping guests.

The marriage home was operating without permission from the Bharatpur Municipal Corporation.

State Health Minister Kalicharan Saraf told reporters in Bharatpur that three separate committees have been formed to look into the incident. They will submit reports in seven days.

“One committee will probe the incident. The second will conduct a survey of all the marriage homes to check their safety and security measures and the third will probe whether there was any delay in treatment or any kind of laxity on part of the RBM Government Hospital staff where the victims were rushed,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and others expressed grief over the incident which occurred at the wedding hall which was being run without permission from authorities concerned.

The health minister visited the RBM Government Hospital in Bharatpur to inquire about the health of the injured and also the site of the incident and announced compensation.

He said a power cut at the hospital made the task of doctors difficult but the electricity supply resumed after ten minutes.

It will be probed whether the power cut occurred due to negligence on part of any employee or it was due to the heavy winds which hit the region last night, he said.

The situation became more difficult due to the subsequent power cut amid rains and people used mobiles and search lights to help the victims.

“It was brought to my notice that the generator of the hospital was out of order and there was only one inverter.I have asked the hospital authorities to replace the generator as soon as possible, the minister said.

He said that of the more than two dozen injured, nine are admitted and rest have been discharged. Of the nine, two have been referred to the SMS Hospital in Jaipur and as many others are being treated at a private hospital in Bharatpur and rest are in RBM Government Hospital.

The minister said free treatment will be provided to all the injured.

“The state government will give a compensation of Rs.2 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 for seriously injured. A similar compensation of Rs.2 lakh to next of the kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 for seriously injured will also be given by the central government, he said.

Bharatpur district collector N K Gupta had also announced a compensation of Rs. 50,000 for the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs. 10,000 for injured.

“Primary investigation reveals that there was no permission with the marriage home owner to run this establishment. The owner Bharat Lal Sharma has been booked and he is absconding. His brother has been detained by police, the collector told PTI.

SP Anil Tank said that the owner was booked under section 304 of IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) with Sewar police station on Thursday.

(With inputs from PTI)