Agar Malwa (MP), Sep 19 (PTI) Eight persons, including three children and two women, were killed after their car fell into a swollen drain in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district in the early hours of Saturday, police said.
The accident occurred around 1.30 am near the Bagulamukhi temple in Nalkheda town, around 30 km from the district headquarters, Nalkheda police station in-charge Shashi Upadhyay said.
The official said the car with devotees from Odisha fell into the drain, which was overflowing with rainwater, and the occupants, including three children, two women and three men, were killed.
Upon receiving information about the incident, District Collector Sher Singh Meena, Superintendent of Police Dilip Kumar Soni, and Additional Superintendent of Police Ravindra Kumar Boyat arrived at the scene.
A large crowd gathered, and with the help of the administration and local residents, the car was tied to with ropes and then pulled out by a crane, officials said. Following a rescue operation, the eight bodies were brought to the Civil Hospital for post mortem examination.
According to reports, the drain was overflowing due to heavy rains, and due to the driver’s negligence, the car lost control and was swept away.
District Collector Meena said the car’s driver, Arun Goyal, a resident of Sudwas near Barod in here, also died in the accident.
The passengers had hired a taxi from Ujjain to visit the Baglamukhi Mata Temple and were returning home when the accident occurred, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Radha Rani Behera, Shiva Prasad Banmali Behera, Krishna Rajveer (son of Shiva Prasad), Sena alias Son Purva, Gyanendra Kumar Behera, Shiva Prasad Behera, and Rita Rani (wife of Gyanendra Behera), all residents of Bhubaneshwar in the eastern coastal state, and driver Arun Goyal.
A case has been registered and CCTV footage is being checked as part of the probe into the accident, officials said.
Citizens demanded comprehensive security arrangements at the drain.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav directed officials to provide Rs 4 lakh assistance and extend all possible help.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and announced an assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the victims. PTI COR MAS BNM
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