MP lodge collapse toll rises to two; NDRF continues rescue ops
Anuppur (MP)(PTI): The death toll from the collapse of a four-storey lodge in Madhya Pradesh’s Anuppur district rose to two, as NDRF teams continued their operation to rescue those trapped under the debris, police said on Sunday.
‘Aggarwal Lodge', a building located near a bus stand in Kotma town, collapsed around 5.30 pm on Saturday, trapping several people in the vicinity.
An official said the death toll has now risen to two, and five others are injured, of whom two are in a critical condition and have been sent to Shahdol for treatment.
The deceased were identified as Hanuman Deen Yadav (55) and Ramkripal Yadav (50), Anuppur Superintendent of Police Moti Ur Rahman said.
He said that the rescue teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), conducted an overnight operation, and a search is underway for others trapped in the debris.
The ongoing construction work near the 10-year-old building is suspected to have contributed to the collapse, the SP said.
Anuppur Collector Harshal Pancholi said that five people were extricated from the debris, of which two have died.
According to eyewitnesses, a loud explosion sounded as the building collapsed, sending a cloud of dust engulfing the area.
The bus stand area was teeming with commuters at the time of the incident, and construction work was underway on a nearby plot of land, they said.
Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister and Minister in-charge of Anuppur district, Dilip Ahirwar, and Minister of Cottage and Village Industries, Dilip Jaiswal, visited the site late on Saturday night, along with senior officials, and supervised the relief and rescue operations.
Speaking to reporters, Ahirwar assured that every aspect of the accident would be investigated and action would be taken against those responsible.
He said that the state government's priority is to safely rescue those trapped in the debris and provide them with proper treatment.
#WATCH | Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh: NDRF team, along with sniffer dogs, conduct search and rescue operations to extricate people trapped in the debris of the building that collapsed in Kotma
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2026
As of now, two people have died following the collapse of the 4-storey building in Kotma,… https://t.co/g1ZTh7JrNe pic.twitter.com/0fBnqnmehf
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Trump says he ‘hasn’t even thought about’ continuing Iran ceasefire
Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he has not yet considered whether he would continue the ceasefire involving Iran, while also claiming the United States holds the advantage in negotiations.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he was prepared to make a deal with “whoever is running the show” in Iran.
“They are fighting with each other, there’s tremendous infighting. They’re probably fighting for leadership in many cases. I think they’re fighting not to be leader because we knocked out two levels of leaders,” he said.
Trump added, “When they want they can call me. We have all the cards, we’ve won everything.”
Referring to ongoing negotiations, he said, “They gave us a paper that should’ve been better. And, interestingly, immediately when I cancelled it [envoy trip to Pakistan], within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better.”
“We talked about they will not have a nuclear weapon, very simple … They offered a lot, but not enough,” he added.
When asked whether he would continue the ceasefire, Trump replied, “I haven’t even thought about it.”
The remarks come as uncertainty remains over the future of the temporary truce and broader negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
