17 dead as roof of cremation ground collapses in Muradnagar
At least 17 people were killed on Sunday as the roof of a building in Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh collapsed, officials said. The incident occurred at a cremation ground when people were taking shelter from the rain. Reportedly, the roof collapsed due to heavy rainfall. Most of those killed were relatives of a man who was being cremated on the grounds.
According to Hindustan Times, roughly 100 people were attending the funeral procession of a local resident of Dayanand Colony. News18 identified the deceased as Ram Dhan. The heavy rainfall caused the roof to collapse. While many managed to escape, a few were trapped under the debris, HT reported. Notably, the building was not old, however, the area was prone to waterlogging, the report added.
The Divisional Commissioner of Meerut, Anita C Meshram, told ANI, "17 people have died so far while 38 people have been rescued after a shed collapsed in Muradnagar." The police and administrative officials reached the spot and initiated a rescue mission for those trapped under the debris. The injured were then admitted to the Ghaziabad District Hospital, HT reported.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended condolences to the relatives of those deceased. He said he has instructed officials to provide financial assistance of Rs. 2 lakh to the kin of those deceased. He has also directed relevant authorities to submit a report regarding the incident. "We have started a probe and we will take strict action against those found guilty," Meshram said.
