Shivpuri, 7 April 2025: What can be a bigger happiness for a father than his daughter’s wedding? But for a family in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, this dream was shattered like death when a huge fire broke out in their house amidst the wedding preparations. Sunday, which had brought hope of happiness, turned into mourning in no time. All the wedding goods, grains and bride’s clothes kept in the house were burnt to ashes. Now this family is in shock and is pleading for help from the administration.
Happiness eclipsed
The incident is from Akhai Mahadev village of Badarwas police station area. The marriage of Rajesh Kushwaha’s daughter, who lives here, was scheduled for April 20. Preparations were in full swing at home. Rajesh had made arrangements for everything from the bride’s clothes to ration and the goods to be given in the wedding. All the goods were kept in the house. On Sunday, he had gone to Khajuri village to invite people to his daughter’s wedding. But he had not even distributed the cards when he got a call – “There is a fire in the house.” On hearing this news, Rajesh rushed home, but by then everything had been burnt to ashes.

Eyewitness and neighbor Rameshwar Yadav said, “The flames of the fire were so strong that the whole house burned down in a few minutes. When Rajesh reached there, there was only a pile of ashes in front of him. He kept looking at the things while crying, but nothing was left.” It was fortunate that the family members present in the house at that time came out in time, otherwise there could have been a greater loss of life and property.

Short circuit became the cause of the accident

Initial investigation by the police and local people revealed that the cause of the fire was a short circuit. Two people from the village, Brajbhan and Jagram Yadav, had illegally laid electricity wires to run a water motor, which were passing over Rajesh’s kutcha house. On Sunday, a short circuit occurred in these wires and a spark came out and fell on the roof. The dry roof allowed the fire to spread rapidly, and the entire house was engulfed in flames.

Badarwas police station in-charge Anil Sharma said, “This accident happened due to illegal electricity connection. We have started investigation against both the accused. If their negligence is proved, strict action will be taken.” However, this accident has once again exposed the danger of illegal electricity connections in rural areas.

A mountain of sorrows has fallen on the family

Rajesh Kushwaha’s family has still not recovered from this shock. Everything bought for the wedding, including the bride’s clothes, jewelry and household items, was destroyed. The grain stock also turned to ashes, due to which the family is facing a livelihood crisis. Rajesh’s wife Sunita said crying, “We had worked hard for our daughter’s marriage for a whole year. Now we have nothing left. The wedding will happen only if we get help from the administration.” The villagers also expressed grief over the incident. A local resident, Mohan Lal, said, “Rajesh is a hardworking person. He had taken a loan to prepare for the wedding. Now everything is over. We all will come forward to help him, but the government should also do something.”

Expectation from the administration, demand for compensation

After the accident, Rajesh and his family have appealed to the district administration for compensation. They say that without compensation for this loss, it will not be possible to organize the wedding. Badarwas Tehsildar Rakesh Parmar said, “We have visited the spot and a report is being prepared. Appropriate assistance will be given after assessing the damage.” But the family fears that delay in government help may force them to postpone their daughter’s wedding.

Lessons and questions

This accident is not just the story of one family, but reflects the lack of safety standards in rural India. Illegal electricity connections and the risk of fire in kutcha houses are nothing new, but every time questions arise only after the loss. Will the administration and society learn any lesson from this incident? Or will this be another forgotten tragedy? For now, Rajesh’s family is waiting for help, and their daughter’s dream of marriage is in limbo.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes. Contact the local administration for any assistance.