Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Beleshwar Mahadev Temple stepwell collapse in Sneh Nagar/Patel Nagar on March 30, 2023, was one of the most tragic accidents in the city’s history, claiming 36 lives. What started as a religious ceremony on Ram Navami turned into a horrific disaster when the floor of the temple caved in, plunging devotees into a 40-50 feet deep stepwell.
The rescue operation lasted for over 24 hours, involving multiple agencies including the police, SDRF, NDRF, army, and municipal authorities. This report presents a minute-by-minute timeline of the rescue efforts, testimonies from officials and residents, engineering flaws that led to the collapse, and the administrative negligence that contributed to the tragedy.
Timeline of the tragedy & rescue efforts – March 30, 2023 – Day 1
11:00 AM – Devotees gather at Beleshwar Mahadev Temple for a havan and rituals
11:15 – 11:25 AM – The floor of the temple suddenly collapses, and over 36 people fall into the stepwell
11:35 AM – Locals, after attempting to rescue the trapped individuals, inform the police
11:45 AM – Police officers and senior officials arrive at the scene and notify emergency response agencies
11:50 AM – Initial rescue begins with police throwing ropes and sarees into the stepwell to help victims climb out
FP Photo
Early Rescue Operations
01:00 PM – 01:15 PM – Ambulances and fire brigade teams arrive. A 20-feet ladder is placed inside the well, but it is too short compared to the depth
01:45 PM – A team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reaches the site
02:35 PM – The first three bodies are recovered
02:46 PM – Several injured victims are rescued and rushed to Apple Hospital
03:00 PM – 04:00 PM – The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) joins the rescue mission
04:30 PM – Another four bodies are retrieved 06:30 PM – Several more bodies are taken out, pushing the death toll higher
Night Operations Begin
09:30 PM – The confirmed death toll reaches 14
10:30 PM – Indian Army is called in for assistance
11:48 PM – An Army team reaches the site and takes charge of rescue operations –
March 31, 2023 – Day 2
12:50 AM – Army recovers six more bodies; the toll climbs to 20
01:27 AM – Another seven bodies are retrieved, bringing the total to 27 deaths
01:45 AM – Two more bodies, including a 1.5-year-old girl, are recovered
FP Photo
Dewatering & Final Recovery
2:15 AM – Authorities begin dewatering the stepwell, removing sewage water, silt, and debris
04:30 AM – Additional bodies are retrieved 08:30 AM – The death toll reaches 35
09:52 AM – Chief Minister visits the site to meet the victims’ families
11:48 AM – The last body is retrieved, concluding the search
01:00 PM – The rescue operation officially ends
Rescue at a Glance
The rescue involved over 250 personnel, including:
70 Army personnel
25 NDRF members
30 SDRF personnel
Dozens of police officers & volunteers
50 ambulances were deployed by Indore Ambulance Welfare Society
Two cranes and multiple JCBs were used to clear debris
Many victims were trapped under the collapsed slab, making rescue efforts difficult
Negligence during rescue
A viral video showed a rescue rope snapping, causing a woman to fall back into the well, screaming. Residents alleged that fire brigade and ambulances took over an hour to arrive. Doctors at hospitals struggled to handle the overwhelming number of injured people, causing chaos.
ANANDSHIVRE
Administrative & engineering negligence -IMC issued warnings for years
The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) had issued multiple notices to the Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Mandir Trust about the stepwell’s deteriorating condition
In April 2022, IMC had warned the trust to vacate the temple and rehabilitate the stepwell
In January 2023, another eviction notice was issued, but no action was taken
The trust ignored these warnings, citing religious beliefs and securing a stay order in court
he stepwell was covered in 1981 to prevent suicides
Thin iron rods and concrete were used to cover the well, but these rusted over the period of time
No central support pillar was added to reinforce the flooring
The weight of devotees during the Ram Navami gathering exceeded the structure’s capacity
Religious & cultural aspects
The Shivalinga’s water offerings were directly drained into the stepwell for over 40 years
This increased water density, making it impossible to swim and further weakened the structure
The first-ever large-scale havan inside the temple contributed to the unexpected heavy crowd
Aftermath & legal actions
The IMC and temple trust blamed each other for inaction
The temple trust officials were arrested but later acquitted due to lack of evidence.
The court criticised police investigation for not holding municipal officials accountable
