Jaisalmer dust storm kills folk artist, leaves 3 injured as resort wall collapses

A tragic incident in Jaisalmer saw a 25-year-old folk artist lose his life and three others sustain injuries when a resort wall collapsed during a powerful dust storm, highlighting safety concerns in the popular tourist destination.

A 25-year-old folk artist was killed and three others were injured after a wall of a resort collapsed during a strong dust storm in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district, the police said on Tuesday.

A wall of the resort collapsed due to strong winds late Monday night, hitting several performers at a resort in the Sam tourist area, about 45 km from the district headquarters, the police said.

Tragic Incident Details

Swaroop Khan, 25, a folk artist and resident of Barisiyala village, died on the spot, the police said, adding that three other artists, including one man and two women dancers, were injured in the incident.

The injured were initially taken to a local hospital and later referred to Jaisalmer. They were subsequently referred to Jodhpur for further treatment, the police said.

Heritage Juma Resort owner Baroch Khan said around 40 tourists were present at the resort for an evening cultural programme when the incident occurred.

"The folk artists were performing on an open-air stage. There was a concrete wall behind the stage which collapsed during the storm," he said.

Khan said that when high-velocity winds and a dust storm began, the performance was stopped and most tourists moved to safer locations inside the resort, including tents and covered areas.

"When the storm intensified, the wall collapsed, and the artists were injured," he said. Sam station house officer Prahlad Chand said Swaroop Khan suffered critical head injuries.

"Swaroop Khan received severe head injuries and died," the SHO said.

Resort Closure and Community Impact

Baroch Khan said cultural performances are organised every evening for tourists visiting the desert destination and that are generally held in open spaces.

He said the resort had been temporarily closed following the incident and bookings for the next few days had been cancelled as a precautionary measure.

The performers were from the Manganiyar community, a renowned hereditary group of folk musicians from western Rajasthan known for their traditional desert music and cultural performances that are a major attraction for domestic and foreign tourists visiting the Thar desert.

The resort's owner said Swaroop Khan and the other artists had been regularly performing at the venue.

Storm's Wider Impact and Safety Concerns

Speaking to PTI, District Collector Anupama Jorwal said the powerful storm also disrupted infrastructure in the district.

"It was a strong storm that affected power supply in several areas. An electricity tower also collapsed, disrupting supply in multiple locations," Jorwal told PTI.

Jorwal said restoration work was underway and rebuilding the damaged tower was expected to take around four days.

A meeting of revenue officials had been convened and directions issued to assess losses caused by the storm, she said, adding that about 177 resorts are operating in and around the Sam area.

She said that some are unregulated. She said sub-divisional magistrates had been directed to ensure that resorts adhere to safety protocols and take adequate measures for the safety of tourists.

Sam, located in the Thar desert, is one of Rajasthan's most popular tourism destinations and is known for its sand dunes, camel safaris and evening cultural programmes featuring folk music and dance.

Desert camps and resorts in the area routinely organise performances by Manganiyar and other traditional artists as part of the tourism experience.