Bhubaneswar: Seven people from Odisha, including three children and two women, were killed after the car they were travelling in was swept away by a rain-swollen stream near the Maa Baglamukhi Temple in Nalkheda in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar-Malwa district.
The driver of the ill-fated vehicle, a resident of Agar-Malwa district, also died in the accident. The seven deceased were residents of the Jaydev Vihar area of Bhubaneswar and had travelled to Madhya Pradesh to attend the ring ceremony of their daughter.
The victims have been identified as Shiba Prasad Behera, Krishna Rajveer, Saira Sonprabha, Gyanendra Behera, Ritarani Behera, B. Sai Swastik and Radharani Behera.
Agar-Malwa Superintendent of Police Dilip Kumar Soni said the victims, who were residents of Odisha, had travelled from Ujjain to Nalkheda to visit the temple.
The accident occurred when the car attempted to cross the swollen stream near the temple amid a strong current. Preliminary findings suggest the driver may have attempted to cross the stream in haste, following which the vehicle was swept away by the force of the water, the SP said.
According to local records, the area received around 3.7 inches of rainfall in the 24 hours preceding the accident, with the intensity of the rainfall peaking during the night.
The sudden rise in the water level of the seasonal stream following heavy rain turned what was a routine temple visit into a tragedy. Following the incident, administrative officials and rescue teams rushed to the spot and launched an operation to trace the vehicle and recover the occupants.
The car was subsequently located during the rescue operation. Police identified it as a Maruti Suzuki S-Presso bearing registration number MP 13 AF 7135.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident and announced ex-gratia. “The mishap in Agar Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, is extremely painful. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” PM Modi posted on X.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also condoled the deaths and expressed grief over the incident.