MP Lokayukta launches probe over damage to idols in Mahakal Lok corridor

The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has initiated a probe into the collapse and damage of six out of seven idols installed at the Mahakal Lok corridor at Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district.

Updated on: Jun 2, 2023, 24:38:29 IST

By Shruti Tomar, Bhopal

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has initiated a probe into the collapse and damage of six out of seven idols installed at the Mahakal Lok corridor at Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district, an official said on Thursday.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, Lokayukta justice NK Gupta ordered an inquiry and directed a team to visit the area to ascertain if any substandard material was used by a Gujarat-based company, MP Babariya Engineers and Civil Contracts, which was hired for the installation of the idols at the corridor .

The development comes amid allegations of corruption in the Mahakal Lok corridor project by the opposition Congress. The ruling BJP has dismissed the charges.

“The Lokayukta will investigate if the company that installed the idols had used substandard materials. It will also see if there was any kind of corruption in the project. The Lokayukta will interrogate the officials linked to the project,” a Lokayukta official said, wishing not to be named.

Six out of the seven idols of ‘Saptarishis’ (seven sages) installed at the Mahakal Lok corridor collapsed due to gusty winds on Sunday.

Despite repeated attempts, the company could not be reached for a comment.

Meanwhile, district collector Ujjain Kumar Purshottam said new idols will be installed at the spot. “New statues will be installed within two months. A quality check will also be done,” he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

Check India news real-time updates, latest news on Hindustan Times and more across India.