12 killed as compound wall collapses in Chhattisgarh

At least 12 people were killed and 20 others injured, some of them critically, when a eight-feet high compound wall of the residence of a superintendent of police collapsed in Sarguja district of Chhattisgarh today following heavy rains.

The incident took place around 11.00 am at district headquarters of Ambikapur when the compound wall of Sarguja superintendent of police, OP Pal's house came down crashing following incessant rains in the region for over a week, Sarguja collector JS Dhananjay said.

The mishap took place when a group of people had taken shelter from the rains in a waiting room outside the compound wall with some of them leaning against it, the officer said.

Due to the collapse, around 35 people were trapped under the rubble and chaos broke out in the area, police said. While a dozen people were killed on the spot, 20 others were injured of which 15 are said to be critical, Dhananjay said.

All the bodies have been extricated from the debris and rescue operations are on. The injured have been admitted to district and private hospital, he said.

The state government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs1 lakh each to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs25,000 for the injured, the collector said, adding further investigations are on.