Five Devotees Killed, Several Injured as Under-Construction Temple Roof Collapses in Parbhani

Parbhani, 20th June 2026: Five devotees were killed and at least 17 others injured after a portion of the roof of an under-construction Hanuman temple collapsed during a religious gathering at Yashwadi village in Manwat taluka of Maharashtra’s Parbhani district on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

The incident occurred around 3.30 pm when the temple premises were crowded with devotees, as Saturdays typically witness a large turnout at Hanuman temples. According to local authorities, a section of the temporary structure supporting the temple’s sanctum sanctorum gave way, triggering the collapse.

Officials said the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Rescue and relief operations were launched immediately after the mishap.

The Hanuman temple was undergoing construction, and a temporary mandap supported by wooden scaffolding had been erected around the sanctum area. According to district officials, heavy sandstone blocks sourced from Rajasthan were being used in the construction. Preliminary information suggests that part of the scaffolding supporting these stone structures collapsed, causing debris to fall on devotees gathered inside.

Parbhani district Guardian Minister Meghana Bordikar said the state government would provide all necessary financial assistance to the families of the deceased and those injured in the incident.

“The temple was open to devotees despite being under construction following repeated requests from local residents. Large stone slabs supported by scaffolding fell on those present inside,” Bordikar said.

Videos of the collapse captured on CCTV cameras circulated widely on social media, drawing large crowds to the site and prompting police to undertake crowd-control measures as rescue operations continued.