The incident occurred at the Hanuman Mandir in Yashwadi village, located in Manat taluka, where a large number of devotees had gathered during the weekend.

Rescue and relief operations began immediately as authorities rushed to the site.

Rescue operations underway

Senior officials from the district administration and police reached the temple premises to supervise rescue efforts and assess the situation.

Minister of State for Women and Child Development Meghna Bordikar said authorities acted swiftly after receiving information about the collapse.

“As soon as the information about the incident was received, immediate instructions were given to contact the District Collector, District Police Administration, Tehsil Administration, Health Department, and Disaster Management Agency to expedite rescue operations,” Bordikar said.

She added that emergency teams had already been deployed to the affected area.

“Ambulances, medical teams, revenue administration, police machinery, and local rescue teams have reached the incident site, and efforts are underway at a war footing to safely evacuate the trapped citizens,” she said.

Incident occurs amid heavy weekend footfall

According to preliminary information, the roof of the under-construction sabha mandap situated in front of the temple collapsed suddenly while many devotees were present in the vicinity.

The temple is known to attract large crowds, particularly on Saturdays, when devotees from Parbhani and neighbouring districts visit for worship.

“On Saturdays, people from Parbhani and neighbouring districts come for darshan. Often the crowd swells to one lakh during weekends,” Bordikar said.

The collapse triggered panic among devotees and visitors, leading to chaotic scenes at the temple complex.

Injured shifted to hospitals

Following the incident, authorities arranged multiple ambulances to transport the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Medical teams were deployed to provide emergency care while rescue personnel worked to remove debris and search for those believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.

Officials said the administration was closely monitoring the operation and coordinating efforts among various departments.

Local leaders, officials at scene

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Rajesh Viketar was present at the scene as rescue operations continued.

District officials, police personnel and disaster response teams remained on site throughout the day, focusing on clearing the collapsed structure and ensuring the safety of those affected.

Authorities have not yet released detailed information regarding the cause of the collapse.

Investigations are expected once rescue and relief operations are completed.

The administration continues to monitor the situation as teams work to locate and evacuate any remaining individuals trapped under the debris.