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A four-storey building named ‘Agarwal Lodge’ collapsed at around 5:30 pm on 4 April 2026, near Kotma Bus Stand, in Kotma city of Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh. By April 5, two people were confirmed dead — identified as Hanuman Yadav (55) and Ramkripal Yadav (50) — while three others were rescued alive and sent to Shahdol District Hospital for treatment.

Anuppur Collector Harshal Pancholi said that till now five people have been pulled out from the debris, out of which two have died and three are undergoing treatment. It is feared that four to seven more people may be trapped under the debris; Rescue and search operations are still going on.

A joint operation is being carried out for the rescue operation, involving a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team from Bhilai (which arrived at midnight), another NDRF team from Varanasi, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, fire services and the district administration. A dog squad has also been deployed at the spot. Local people also helped in the initial rescue operations.

Initial investigation revealed that the building’s collapse was probably due to structural weakness. This weakness may have been caused by a deep pit dug for construction work on a nearby plot; Later this pit was filled with water, which probably weakened the foundation of the building. Renovation work underway on the upper floors — which included tiling and plumbing work — is also believed to be a possible reason for the building collapse.

Additional Chief Secretary K.C. A four-member investigation team led by Gupta reached the spot to investigate the cause of the building collapse. Minister in-charge Dilip Ahirwar visited the spot on the morning of April 5. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the incident through social media and directed officials to provide all possible help to the affected families.

Following this incident, concerns have increased over the safety of buildings across the region. Rescue and investigation work is expected to continue until April 5, as officials try to locate remaining people trapped under the debris. Detailed information about the exact number of missing people and the final results of the investigation are still awaited.