Maharashtra | Seven devotees lost their lives and nearly 30 other devotees were injured in a tragic accident that occurred in Yashwadi village of Parbhani district Maharashtra on Saturday, June 20 , when the roof of a Hanuman temple collapsed during a religious programme triggering a large scale rescue operation.

According to reports the incident took place in the temple when many people were gathered for prayers and suddenly the roof of the temple collapsed trapping several devotees under the debris.

After receiving the information of the incident the rescue team and other officials rushed to the site and launched a rescue operation . Rescue operations continued for several hours to ensure that no one remained trapped beneath the debris.The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the state government would provide all possible assistance to the victims and their families. He also directed officials to ensure speedy medical treatment for the injured and ordered an inquiry into the cause of the collapse.

As the incident has raised serious concerns local residents and community leaders has demanded immediate action against those found responsible for negligence in construction of temple. Authorities suspect that the collapse involved an under-construction portion of the temple’s assembly hall, though the exact cause will be determined after a detailed structural investigation.