48 dead as water tank collapses in India

By Afp, Jaipur
28 August 2006, 18:00 PM
At least 48 people were killed and dozens injured in western India on Sunday when a large water tank they climbed on to watch a village wrestling match gave way, police and officials said.

Senior police official Bhupinder Singh said the death toll was expected to rise with some of the 45 injured in serious condition.

Officials at Kama village, 400km from Jodhpur in Rajasthan had tried in vain to stop people climbing on the tank, he added.

Rajasthan state home minister Gulab Singh Kataria told AFP that about 200 people had clambered on to the tank to watch the wrestling match, which was part of a village fair.

"My officials tell me that 48 people have been killed in the accident," he said.

The Press Trust of India news agency said the incident triggered panic among the thousands of people who had gathered for the fair.