A senior citizen who lost four members of his family in the Indore temple tragedy claimed on Saturday rescue and relief efforts from authorities began late by about two hours, while it was local residents who reached immediately and saved lives.

However, the allegations have been refuted by authorities who said "prescribed parameters of disaster management" were followed and that coordination among agencies was good.

Thirty-six persons were killed when the floor of Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple, built after covering a "bawdi" or stepwell in Patel Nagar area, caved in during Ram Navami on Thursday, hurtling devotees several feet below.

"When I called the fire brigade after the accident at 12 noon on Ram Navami, I was first told to inform the police. Then I was told starting a rescue operation was the responsibility of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)," Laxmikant Patel (64) told reporters on Saturday.

Patel, who claimed he did not get proper response after calling the police and NDRF, said, "Immediately after the accident, local residents reached the temple and saved many lives. The rescue operation at the government level started one-and-half to two hours after the accident." Patel said he was making preparations for the "bhandara" (community feast) after the "havan" (fire ritual) when 55 persons fell into the stepwell after the floor cave-in.

Patel, who lives opposite the temple, said he had lost four members of his family, including his wife and daughter-in-law.

Meanwhile, in an official statement, District Magistrate Dr Ilayaraja T said, "The prescribed parameters of disaster management were followed and there was better coordination among all government agencies in dealing with the accident." All the administrative officers immediately reached the spot after information about the incident was received, a strategy was chalked out after mutual discussion and all necessary resources were mobilized in time, the collector said.

Umesh Khanchandani, who runs a medicine shop, lost his wife Bhumika (32) and his one-and-a-half-year-old nephew Hitansh in the accident.

He told PTI such incidents could have been avoided if the administration was alert and prepared, while elder brother Sanjay sought an inquiry claiming they did not know the temple was built on a stepwell despite visiting the place for 40 years.

Juni Indore police station in-charge Neeraj Meda said an FIR has been registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against Sevaram Galani, president of Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple Trust and secretary Murli Kumar Sabnani.

Sabnani was present in the temple at the time of the accident and had also fallen into the stepwell, Meda said.

"Sabnani, who fractured his leg and has to undergo an operation, is admitted in a private hospital in Bhawarkuan area along with other injured. The second accused Galani is recuperating from a broken leg sustained in another accident," Meda said.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Santosh Singh Gautam claimed the two accused are close to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, and said both of them should arrested forthwith for the tragedy that had shaken Indore. PTI HWP ADU BNM BNM

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