Sagar, April 2: Nearly 19 months after the tragic wall collapse during a religious event in Shahpur that claimed the lives of nine children, a local court has delivered its verdict, finding three individuals guilty of negligence.
The 9th Additional Sessions Judge Rajesh Singh sentenced the owner of the dilapidated building, Mulu Patel, along with event organizers Sanju alias Keshav Patel and Shiv Patel, to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed fines on each of them.
This ruling has brought a sense of justice to the affected families and sends a strong message regarding accountability and public safety.
The incident occurred on August 4, 2024, when the wall of a two-story crumbling building collapsed during the third day of the Shrimad Bhagwat Katha, held near the Hardaul Baba Temple from August 2 to 12. At that time, children were participating in the Shivling construction ceremony under a tent.
Eleven children aged between 10 and 15 were trapped under the debris. Despite the villagers’ rescue efforts, nine children, including Divyansh, Nitesh, Ashutosh, Prince, Parv, Devaraj, Vansh (Mayank), Hemant, and Dhruv, lost their lives. However, Sumit Prajapati and Khushi Patwa survived after prolonged treatment.
Additional Public Prosecutor Devesh Bachkainiya represented the prosecution in this case. Following the incident, the police promptly registered a case and arrested all three accused.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Madhya Pradesh government took administrative action by removing the then Collector Deepak Arya and Superintendent of Police Abhishek Tiwari from their positions, emphasizing accountability for safety at public events.
The families of the victims have welcomed the court’s decision, although they continue to demand strict enforcement of building safety regulations near religious and community events. Social activists have also called for the establishment of stringent guidelines to prevent such incidents in the future.