13 killed after falling into well at marriage function in UP's Kushinagar

PTI

Kushinagar, February 17

Thirteen women and children, all girls, died after falling into a well while performing a marriage ritual in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district, police said on Thursday.

The incident, in which at least 10 people were also injured, took place at Naurangiya Tola village when an iron grille, they were sitting on, broke, they said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have expressed grief over the incident.

On Wednesday night, the pre-wedding ritual of "haldi" was being performed. Some women and children were sitting on the iron grille and it suddenly broke and fell into the well, District Magistrate S Rajalingam said.

At least 10 people were also injured in the incident at the village under the Nebua Naurangiya police station area, he said, adding that they had been hospitalised.

According to information received so far, 13 people had died - Pooja (19), Shashi Kala (15), Shakuntala (35), Mamta Devi (35), Meera (25), Pooja (20), Pari (1), Jyoti (15), Radhika (16), Sundari (15), Aarti (10), Pappi (20) and Manu (18), officials said.

They said that an assistance of Rs 4 lakh would be given to the family of each deceased.

The bodies had been sent for post-mortem and the case is being investigated, Rajalingam said.

Condoling the loss of lives, Prime Minister Modi described the incident as heart-rending. He extended his condolences to the families of victims and wished a quick recovery to the injured. The local administration is offering all possible help, Modi said in a tweet.

Directing officials to provide all assistance, Adityanath tweeted, “The death of villagers in an unfortunate incident in Naurangiya Tola village of Kushinagar district is very sad. My condolences are with the bereaved families of the deceased.”

According to a state government spokesperson in Lucknow, the chief minister has directed the district administration to ensure proper treatment to the injured.

जनपद कुशीनगर के ग्राम नौरंगिया स्कूल टोला की एक दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण घटना में हुई ग्रामवासियों की मृत्यु अत्यंत दुःखद है।

मेरी संवेदनाएं मृतकों के शोक संतप्त परिजनों के साथ हैं।

प्रभु श्री राम से घायलों के शीघ्र स्वास्थ्य लाभ की कामना है।

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 17, 2022

उत्तर प्रदेश के कुशीनगर में हुआ हादसा हृदयविदारक है। इसमें जिन लोगों को अपनी जान गंवानी पड़ी है, उनके परिजनों के प्रति मैं अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं। इसके साथ ही घायलों के जल्द से जल्द स्वस्थ होने की कामना करता हूं। स्थानीय प्रशासन हर संभव मदद में जुटा है।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 17, 2022

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