Portion of temple collapses in Prayagraj, rain damage to foundation suspected

A three-storey section of a Hindu temple collapsed in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. No casualties were, however, reported in the incident as no one was present inside the temple at the time.The incident took place late Friday night. A portion of the Swaminarayan Temple, located in the city's George Town area, came crashing down with a loud sound, which prompted nearby residents to come out of their homes in panic.According to reports, construction work had been underway on a plot behind the temple for the past three to four months, during which a large pit had been excavated. The pit would frequently get filled with water due to continuous rainfall.The construction work was also suspended in recent days because of the persistent downpour. It is suspected that the prolonged accumulation of water and impact of the construction activity may have weakened the foundation of the structure that collapsed on Friday. The building was used by the temple management as a dharamshala to provide accommodation to devotees, particularly those from southern India, the temple's security guard, Subedar Singh said.Following the incident, local police and officials from the concerned departments reached the spot and inspected the entire premises. The exact cause of the collapse is currently under investigation. - Ends(Based on inputs from Pankaj Srivastava)Published On: Aug 29, 2026 11:17 IST