In UP Wedding Tragedy, Women, Children Among 13 Dead After Fall Into Well

Thirteen people - seven women and six girls - died at a wedding in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar last night after accidentally falling into a well. A 10-year-old girl and a one-year-old infant are among the dead, it is learnt.

The women and children, all wedding guests at a village in Kushinagar, were sitting on a slab that covered an old well. The slab collapsed under their weight and they all fell into the well. They were rushed to the hospital, where 13 people were declared dead. 

Tragic visuals from the hospital showed relatives, still in their wedding finery, mourning the dead. District Magistrate S Rajalingam told the media, "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 heavy load, the slab collapsed."

Later, speaking to news agency ANI, senior police officer Akhil Kumar said the death count had climbed to 13. "The incident occurred last night around 8.30 pm in Nebua Naurangia, Kushinagar, during a wedding programme when some people were sitting on a slab covering a well. The slab broke under the weight," Mr Kumar said.

The district magistrate said a compensation of Rs 4 lakh would be paid to the family of each person killed in the incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as "heart-rending", expressed his condolences and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.

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

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed his condolences over the tragedy. The official handle of the Chief Minister's Office tweeted that he has directed officials concerned to conduct rescue and relief operations immediately and provide proper treatment to the injured.