A worker was killed and another seriously injured after the dome of the ancient Kali Temple collapsed during a late-night demolition drive for a road widening project in Uttar Pradesh’s Mughalsarai Kotwali area on Friday. The accident happened while a bulldozer was demolishing the shrine as part of the ongoing GT Road expansion work. The falling dome hit the bulldozer’s bucket, changed direction and crashed onto two people standing nearby, triggering panic at the site.
Reportedly, the deceased has been identified as PWD employee Jhumri alias Baldev (58), a resident of Padav Dandi. He was reportedly holding a rope during the demolition when the Kali Temple dome suddenly gave way. Both injured men were rushed to hospital, where Baldev succumbed to his injuries. The other victim is undergoing treatment.
सुरक्षा मानकों को ताक पर रखकर किया गया विनाश, PWD की घोर लापरवाही ने ली बेकसूर कर्मचारी की जान
उत्तर प्रदेश के चंदौली में PWD विभाग की घोर लापरवाही और सरकारी असंवेदनशीलता ने एक बेकसूर कर्मचारी की जान ले ली। एक पुराने और सम्मानित काली मंदिर को गिराने के दौरान अधिकारियों ने… pic.twitter.com/Icb7SRG7XV
— UP Congress (@INCUttarPradesh) July 11, 2026
Kali Temple demolition accident raises questions over safety measures
Rescue operations began immediately after the collapse, with administrative officials, police personnel and local residents joining efforts at the site. Authorities temporarily stopped the Kali Temple demolition to prevent further accidents.
As per reports, Mughalsarai SDM Rajiv Mohan Saxena and Kotwali in-charge Vijay Pratap Singh reached the spot soon after receiving information. They inspected the site and gathered details about the incident. Officials said the exact cause of the accident is under investigation.
Kali Temple inquiry focuses on possible negligence during demolition
As per reports, preliminary results have shown that there are chances that the demolition zone was not appropriately fenced before work started, thus putting the workers and other people nearby at risk. There are concerns about whether safety standards were met while doing the demolition work of Kali Temple.
Kali Temple was considered to be a very sacred temple for the residents of the area and was being demolished under the project of widening of GT Road. An investigation has been started to find out whether any negligence on the part of authorities resulted in the tragedy.
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Khalid Lateef is a Sub-Editor at NewsX Digital, specializing in Indian politics and global affairs. He also covers viral trending stories and major crime developments.
