13 die in UP village after falling into well during wedding rituals

As many as 13 people including women and children died on Wednesday night after accidentally falling into a well during a wedding ceremony in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district.

Reports quoting officials said the women and children had assembled around an old well to participate in the ‘haldi’ or ‘matkodva’ (traditional to Naubiya Naurangpur area) during the wedding. Those sitting on the slab covering the well fell into it after the slab crumbled under their weight. The women and children were rescued and rushed to the hospital, but 11 of them including nine girls and two women were declared dead on arrival. Two people have been severely injured in the incident.

“We have received information that 11 people have died and two others have been seriously injured after they accidentally fell into a well. This happened during a wedding programme where some people were sitting on a slab of a well and due to the heavy load, the slab collapsed,” district magistrate S Rajalingam told the media.

Akhil Kumar, ADG of Gorakhpur zone later said that the death toll has risen to 13.

Rajalingam said a compensation of ₹4 lakh would be given to the kin of the deceased.

Calling the incident “heartrending,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet condoled the families of the deceased while wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended his condolences to the kin of the dead and said that he has directed officials to conduct relief and rescue operations and ensure proper treatment of the injured.