Indore Temple Tragedy: Court Acquits Temple Trust Leaders Due to Lack of Evidence

Two years after 36 lives were lost in the Beleshwar Mahadev Temple collapse, court clears trust president and secretary​

Indore, April 4 – In a significant development two years after the devastating Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple collapse in Indore that claimed 36 lives, a local court has acquitted two senior members of the temple trust due to lack of evidence.

On Thursday, an additional sessions judge absolved Sewaram Galani (President) and Murli Kumar Sabnani(Secretary) of the Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple Trust, who were the sole accused in the tragic case.

Charges Dismissed Against Trust Leaders​

Galani and Sabnani had been booked under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including:

• Section 304 – Culpable homicide not amounting to murder
• Section 323 – Voluntarily causing hurt
• Section 325 – Voluntarily causing grievous hurt

According to defence lawyer Raghvendra Singh Bais, the court acquitted both men citing insufficient evidence.

Witness Testimonies and Missing Records​

The prosecution had produced 33 witnesses, including several government officials, in an attempt to establish the liability of the trust members. However, the case unraveled when an Indore Development Authority official testified that the stepwell—over which the temple was illegally constructed—was not recorded in government records.

Adding to this, employees of the Indore Municipal Corporation, located near the incident site, claimed ignorance of the existence of the stepwell.

The defence pointed out these gaps, and the trial court, in its judgment, issued strong criticism of the conduct of government authorities involved in the matter.

Tragedy on Ram Navami​

The incident occurred on March 30, 2023, during Ram Navami celebrations, when a large number of devotees had gathered inside the temple for a havan poojan ceremony. The floor of the illegally constructed shrine caved in, plunging dozens into the stepwell below.

The tragedy resulted in 36 fatalities, including 21 women and two children, and left the community in shock.

Aftermath and Safety Measures​

In the days following the collapse, the local administration took steps to address safety concerns:

• On April 3, 2023, the idols of the deities were relocated to another place of worship.
• The illegal temple structure was demolished.
• The stepwell was permanently sealed after being filled with debris.

The court’s acquittal of the temple trust’s president and secretary closes a significant chapter in the legal proceedings surrounding the tragedy but raises fresh questions about administrative accountability and urban oversight in high-footfall religious areas.