Four members of a family were killed after their SUV plunged into a pond in Bihar's Gaya district, officials here said on Tuesday.
The accident occurred near Dakhingaon Bridge under the Wazirganj police station area around midnight.
The deceased have been identified as Shashikant Sharma (43), a well-known farmer from Sahawajpur village, his wife, Rinki Devi (40), and their two sons -- Sumit Anand (17) and Balkrishna (5).
The SHO of Wazirganj police station confirmed the incident. He said the family was returning from a Shraddha Karma ceremony held in Bihar Sharif when tragedy struck.
The family was travelling in a Scorpio SUV when the driver lost control while crossing the narrow bridge near Dakhingaon.
The vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a roadside pond. The driver, Sintu, managed to escape from the submerged vehicle and cried out for help.
Hearing his distress calls, a nearby hotel operator rushed to alert local villagers and informed the police. Soon after, police and villagers arrived at the scene and, with the help of a JCB machine, pulled the SUV out of the pond.
However, by the time the vehicle was recovered, all four passengers had lost their lives.
The news of the accident has sent shockwaves through Sahawajpur village, where Shashikant Sharma was a respected figure.
His elder son, Sumit Anand, was also locally active in BJP youth politics.
Villagers expressed deep grief, saying, “When no one is left in the family, what is the point of a post-mortem?” The atmosphere in the village is sombre, especially after reports that Shashikant's elderly mother collapsed upon hearing of the incident and is now in critical condition.
Administrative officials have since inspected the accident site and assured a thorough investigation into the cause of the mishap.
Preliminary findings suggest the driver may have lost control due to poor visibility or narrow road conditions on the bridge.
The incident once again highlights the urgent need for road safety measures in rural parts of Bihar, especially on bridges and poorly lit roads.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
