Bhopal/Kotma, April 5 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced financial support for the families of the victims of the building collapse incident in Kotma. This assistance includes Rs four lakh from the CM’s Discretionary Fund, Rs four lakh under the Sambal Scheme, and Rs one lakh from the Red Cross.

Injured survivors will receive Rs two lakh from the discretionary fund and Rs 50,000 from the Red Cross.

“The state government stands in solidarity with the affected families. We pray for peace for the departed souls and speedy recovery of the injured,” the Chief Minister said.

Minister Dilip Ahirwar, along with District Magistrate Harshal Pancholi and Superintendent of Police Moti-ur-Rehman, has been supervising operations on the ground.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local administration remain deployed as rescue efforts continue in the crowded bus stand area, where panic still lingers among residents and passengers.

Kotma town in Anuppur district was gripped by tragedy on Saturday evening when a four-storey building, identified as Agarwal Lodge, suddenly collapsed near the bus stand. The incident, which occurred between 5.30 and 5.50 p.m., sent shockwaves through the bustling locality as eyewitnesses described a deafening explosion-like sound followed by clouds of dust engulfing the area.

Rescue teams rushed to the site, working tirelessly through the night with cranes and heavy machinery to extricate those trapped beneath the rubble. By Sunday morning, the death toll had risen to three after the body of a woman was recovered around 11 a.m. Her identity is yet to be confirmed.

Two other victims, reportedly relatives, had been pulled out earlier. At least five people have been rescued so far; three succumbed to injuries, while the remaining survivors are undergoing treatment.

Officials fear that more individuals may still be trapped, though estimates vary between six and ten.

Local residents pointed to a deep pit dug at an adjacent construction site as a possible cause of the collapse. The pit, measuring nearly 12 feet, had accumulated water, which may have weakened the foundation of the decade-old lodge.

Authorities have acknowledged that ongoing construction activity nearby could have contributed to the disaster.

A detailed probe has been ordered to establish the exact reasons and to identify any lapses in safety norms.

–IANS

sktr/dpb