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Vrindavan Tragedy: Owners of dilapidated house section that fell onto pilgrims booked
The case has been registered under sections 304-A (negligent causing of death), 337 (endangering human life), and 338 (causing grievous harm) of the Indian Penal Code.
AGRA A case has been filed against four brothers who owned a dilapidated house, a section of which collapsed onto pilgrims passing beneath it, resulting in the death of five individuals near Bankey Behari Temple in Vrindavan on Tuesday night.
The case has been registered under sections 304-A (negligent causing of death), 337 (endangering human life), and 338 (causing grievous harm) of the Indian Penal Code. The registration took place on Wednesday night at Vrindavan Kotwali police station in the Mathura district. The complaint was lodged by Arun Kumar, the Civil Engineer at Nagar Nigam, Mathura and Vrindavan, detailing the incident that occurred at 6:30 pm on Tuesday.
The four house owners—Girdhar, Vishnu, Chail Behari, and Lal—jointly owned a residence in the Dusayat Mohalla, situated near the parking facility. The house faces Surdas Ashram Lane in Vrindavan (Mathura) and falls within Ward No. 69 of Mathura Vrindavan Nagar Nigam.
“A notice was issued to the accused house owners on July 12, 2023, under section 331(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Nagar Nigam Act – 1959. The notice highlighted that the projection (chajja) in front of the house was weak and damaged, posing a risk to devotees and pedestrians moving underneath on the road. It was emphasized that this condition could lead to a mishap,” stated Arun Kumar in his complaint.
“The accused were instructed to either remove the weak portion themselves or have it repaired or renovated within three days of receiving the notice. Non-compliance would render them liable for any losses and damages,” added the civil engineer.
“However, the accused failed to address the issue. As a result, a tragedy unfolded on the night of August 15, 2023, resulting in the death of five devotees and severe injuries to four others,” as stated in the FIR.
Significantly, five devotees, including three women, lost their lives, and several others were injured when a segment of a dilapidated house collapsed in Vrindavan town on Tuesday evening.
The tragic incident occurred a mere 200 metres away from the renowned Bankey Behari Temple, close to Radha Sneh Temple in Dusayat Mohalla. The devotees were passing underneath the house when the collapse transpired.
In response, chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed sorrow over the incident and announced compensation of ₹4 lakh for each deceased individual’s next of kin.
In the aftermath of the incident, district magistrate, Mathura, Pulkit Khare, established a committee on Wednesday to assess other houses in poor condition in Ward No. 67, 69, and 70, which are frequented by devotees. “The committee’s purpose is to ensure the safety of devotees,” said the DM.
Furthermore, a three-member committee has been appointed to conduct a physical examination of the site where the tragedy occurred on Tuesday. The report is expected within a week. The panel comprises the ADM (Administration), an executive engineer from the Public Works Department (PWD), and the circle officer (Sadar), as confirmed by the DM.
