Delhi Rain Aftermath: 2 Dead, Historic Jama Masjid’s Middle Dome Damaged

Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari said that two people were injured by stones which fell from minarets and other parts of the mosque.

New Delhi: As heavy rains accompanied by strong winds battered the national capital on Monday evening, two persons were killed and several injured in separate rain-related incidents. While there were hundreds of uprooted trees across the region, and damaged vehicles and buildings, the historic Jama Masjid’s middle dome also suffered a major damage in the heavy downpour and thunderstorm. The iconic Jama Masjid in the walled city area lost the finial of its main dome and witnessed some stones getting loose and falling overhead as it weathered a rainstorm Monday evening.

#WATCH | The middle dome finial of Jama Masjid in Delhi suffered damages in the heavy rain and thunderstorm earlier this evening. pic.twitter.com/bWyV0S37EW

— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2022

Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari said that two people were injured by stones that fell from minarets and other parts of the mosque. “The Kalas (finial) of the main dome fell off. It needs urgent repair to prevent further damages. Some stones of the mosque structure also loosened and fell off. I will write to the Prime Minister for immediate repair of the mosque roping in Archaeological Survey of India,” said Bukhari.

Delhi Waqf Board officials said a team was sent to Jama Masjid for inspection and assessment of the damage. “The finial weighs around 300 Kgs. It’s a difficult task to fix it back and undertake the repairs. We will take a decision after the damage is fully assessed,” said a Waqf Board official.

In June last year also, some stone pieces from the southern minaret of Jama Masjid had fallen after a storm. In 2020 too, the mosque had suffered damage due to tremors the city. A few pieces of stones had fallen off from minaret near gate number 3 of the mosque premises, its caretakers said.

Deaths due to rain-related incidents

As many as 294 calls regarding uprooting of trees in various parts of the city were received till 8 pm on Monday. In the first incident reported from Central Delhi’s Jamia Masjid area, a 50-year-old man died after the a portion of balcony of his neigbhour’s second floor property fell over him due to heavy rain and storm.

The deceased, identified as Kailash, was a resident of Jama Masjid area, police said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shweta Chauhan said, “A call from Sanjeevan hospital in Daryaganj was received by Jama Masjid police station at about 6 pm regarding a male person being brought dead.”

The incident took place when Kailash was roaming outside his house, she said, adding that his son Himanshu brought him to hospital where doctors declared him dead. No foul play is suspected in the death and proceedings under Section 174 of CrPC are being conducted, the DCP added.

In another incident that took place in north Delhi’s Angoori Bagh area, a 65-year-old homeless man, identified as Basir Baba, died after a peepal tree fell on him. He was declared brought dead at Trauma Centre, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi.

In the same area, two passersby — Devender and Neeraj — were rescued near Kalkattiya gate as the peepal tree fell over them too, he added. In another instance, three members of a family, including a one-year-old child, were rescued after a neem tree fell on a Creta car near Kabootar Market, Kalsi said. Chetan Mehrotra, 37, along with his wife and the child, got trapped inside the car after the tree fell on their vehicle, he said.

Meanwhile, a Delhi Police sub-inspector’s car which was parked outside the Connaught Place police station got completely damaged after a huge tree fell on it, police said.

First severe thunderstorm in 4 years

The national capital witnessed its first severe thunderstorm in four years as squally winds of 100 kmph pummeled the city on Monday evening. This is the first storm of “severe” intensity in Delhi since June 9, 2018, when Palam had logged a wind speed of 104 kmph, a Met department official said. A moderate thunderstorm had hit the city last Monday.

The thunderstorm led to a drastic fall in the temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory — from 40 degrees Celsius at 4:20 pm to 25 degrees Celsius at 5:40 pm. Safdarjung, Lodhi Road and Ridge logged 17.8 mm, 20 mm and 15 mm of rainfall. East and central parts of Delhi bore the maximum brunt of the storm that peppered the roads with broken tree branches.