KUSHINAGAR (UP), Feb 17: Loud cries echoed in nondescript Nebua Naurangia village of Kushinagar district today after 13 women and children, all girls, fell into a well during a marriage ritual and died.
The incident, in which at least 10 people were also injured, happened on Wednesday night when an iron grille they were sitting on broke, officials and family members said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have expressed grief over the incident.
Parmeshwar Kushwaha, father of the groom, said the pre-wedding ritual of “Matkorba” on the occasion of “Haldi” was in progress near an old and dilapidated well in the village, about 10 kilometres from the Kushinagar district headquarters, when tragedy struck.
Some women and children were sitting on the iron grille and it suddenly broke and they fell into the well, District Magistrate (DM) S Rajalingam said.
Narrating the incident, Kushwaha said, “Actually the well is old and it was covered with a slab. During the ritual, girls were standing on the slab when it broke and they all fell inside the well.”
“It is heartbreaking, and I have decided that no procession will go with my son Amit Kushwaha for the wedding. Only the groom will go and get married in a very simple manner as we are not in the state to celebrate,” he added.
The bodies were cremated in the village today.
On getting information about the tragic incident, Inspector Girjesh Upadhaya reached the spot. Police personnel and villagers pulled out all 23 people who had fallen into the well and rushed them to a hospital. Thirteen of them were declared dead by doctors, the officials said.
Senior administrative and police officials also reached the spot.
No one from Parmeshwar Kushwaha’s family died in the incident. His granddaughter Payal fell into the well but was rescued.
“We were singing and dancing and suddenly the slab broke and within seconds we all fell in the well. I was drowning in the well but somehow I was rescued,” a woman of the village said.
Ramesh Chaurasia lost his wife Mamta Devi. His brother’s wife Shakuntala Devi and two-year-old daughter Pari Chaurasia are among the dead. (PTI)
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