Nine people, including three children and two women, were killed on Monday after a van carrying 11 passengers was swept away by strong currents in a swollen drain in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district, police said. The accident took place around 9.30 am near Padana on the Pachore-Sarangpur road. Two passengers managed to swim to safety and were later admitted to hospital.
What Happened
Following the incident, police, local administration personnel and a State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF) team launched a rescue operation. The driver, however, proceeded, after which the current swept the vehicle into the drain. The van sank within moments. The vehicle was eventually pulled out of the drain with the help of a crane.
Because of the strong water flow, police said villagers and local administration officials had warned the driver not to attempt the crossing.
Sarangpur Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Arvind Singh said the heavy rainfall had caused rivers and drains in the area to overflow.
People Involved
The victims, residents of Dhansad village in the Satwas area of neighbouring Dewas district, were travelling to Kadlavad when the accident occurred. The van was crossing a culvert over the Jhiri drain, where water had spilled onto the road following heavy rainfall.
Investigation and Response
The van was registered in the name of Mukesh Singh, who was driving it. “The news of the deaths of passengers in the rain-related accident on the Pachore-Sarangpur road in Rajgarh district is deeply tragic.
Mukesh Singh and Hukum Singh survived the accident and were taken to hospital for treatment, officials said. A case has been registered at Sarangpur police station and further investigation is underway, police said. My condolences are with the affected families,” Yadav said.
