India: Wall collapses near Ajmer Sharif Dargah, rubble removal underway

A rescue operation is currently underway after a wall collapsed close to a famous shrine for Muslims in Ajmer city in the Indian state of Rajasthan on Tuesday (Jan 2). Ajmer Dargah Sharif, near which the incident took place, is a shrine of Islam's one of the most respected Sufi saints, Moinuddin Chishti.

Upon receiving the information about the incident, the district authorities sprung into action. Police have also reached the spot of the incident. According to media reports, it was earlier believed that nearly four to five people were trapped under the rubble. However, locals quoted by officials said that at the time of the collapse, no one was present at the site of the incident, media reports said.

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In a move to ensure the safety of others in the building, authorities asked people to evacuate the place, as per Chunaram Jat Superintendent of Police, Ajmer.

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"The building was in poor condition. There was a court stay on the building due to a dispute over the ownership between the brothers. Coincidentally, yesterday only a building survey was done," he reportedly said.

Debris removal posing a challenge

The removal of debris is posing a challenge to the officials because of the narrow streets. Tractors and loaders were unable to get to the site of the incident and thus debris is being removed manually.“The rescue operation is ongoing,” the police official reportedly said. Fortunately, no causalities have been reported so far.

(With inputs from agencies)