Lodge Collapses in Madhya Pradesh, Killing 3

A four-storey lodge collapsed near a busy bus stand in Kotma town, Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday evening, killing three people and injuring several others as rescue teams continued searching for survivors amid fears that more individuals remained trapped under the debris.

The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m., when the structure, known as Agarwal Lodge and approximately 10 years old, suddenly gave way, producing a loud explosion-like sound and sending thick clouds of dust across the crowded area teeming with commuters and residents. Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with the collapse triggering immediate panic. The lodge housed about 10 to 12 laborers at the time, according to police estimates.

Preliminary investigations point to nearby construction work as the likely cause. Officials reported that a deep pit, roughly 12 feet in depth, had been dug on an adjacent plot, where water accumulation is believed to have undermined the building's foundation. Anuppur Superintendent of Police Motiur Rehman stated that the ongoing excavation destabilized the 10-year-old structure, leading to its failure. A case has been registered against the lodge owner and...