7 dead after 400-year-old fort wall collapses in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: Three people have died and seven others are trapped under the debris of a 400-year-old fort wall that collapsed in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh, early Thursday morning.
Neighbours managed to rescue two individuals from the rubble and rushed them to the hospital. The rescue team has recovered two bodies so far, and efforts are ongoing to evacuate the remaining trapped individuals, including three children.
The collapse occurred around 3:30 a.m., according to neighbours, who reported hearing a loud noise before discovering the fallen wall.Residents immediately began rescuing those trapped and contacted emergency services.
Collector Sandeep Makin, SP Virendra Kumar Mishra, Kotwali TI Dhirendra Mishra, and the SDERF team have arrived at the scene to manage the rescue operations and the crowd, who expressed frustration over the slow progress.
By 8 a.m., complaints about delays were raised, with accusations that the rescue team had made little progress since debris removal began at 4 a.m.
Locals reported that Niranjan Vansakar and his sister’s family were among those trapped. Efforts to rescue them were hampered by large stones.
It is suspected that continuous rain over the past 30 hours weakened the wall’s structural integrity. The narrow road leading to the site has also obstructed the arrival of large rescue vehicles.
Two heavy machines and a JCB are stationed at the entrance, and efforts are underway to break down the boundary wall to allow better access. Initially, debris was being removed manually with spades and shovels.
Datia MLA Rajendra Bharti, who arrived at the scene, criticised the district administration for its lack of preparedness. He called for immediate financial aid of Rs 5 lakh for the victims' families and Rs 2 lakh each for those injured. He also urged expedited rescue efforts for those still trapped. Former Home Minister Narottam Mishra has also left Bhopal for Datia in response to the incident.
The individuals trapped under the debris include: Niranjan Vansakar (55), his wife, Mamta, his father, Radha, his sons, Sooraj (19) and Shivam (22), his brother-in-law, Kishan Vansakar, Kishan's wife, Prabha, Munna Vansakar, and Akash Vansakar.
The collapsed wall, known as Diwar Shahar Panha, was built in 1629. It had four gates and seven windows and was intended to be demolished as part of a project to construct a ring road. Encroachment around the structure has complicated the situation.