UP Wedding Tragedy: 13 People, Including Women And Children, Die In Kushinagar After Falling Into Well

According to local authorities, all the deceased were sitting on a slab covering the well when it caved in due to heavy load.

New Delhi: In a tragic incident, thirteen people attending a wedding celebration accidently fell into a well and died in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district last night.

According to the local authorities, all the deceased were sitting on a slab covering the well when it caved in due to heavy load and all sitting on top of it fell. All of them were rushed to the nearby hospital but were declared dead. Nine girls and two women have died in the incident. There are also reports of few more people being injured in the tragedy.

"We have got to know that 11 people have died and two others have been seriously injured after they accidentally fell into a well. This happened during a wedding program wherein some people were sitting on a slab of a well and due to heavy load, the slab broke," said Kushinagar District Magistrate S Rajalingam to the media.

Later,  Akhil Kumar, ADG, Gorakhpur Zone while speaking to news agency ANI confirmed the death toll has gone upto thirteen.

"The incident occurred last night at around 8.30 pm in the Nebua Naurangia, Kushinagar. The incident happened during a wedding program wherein some people were sitting on a slab of a well & due to heavy load,the slab broke," said, ADG Akhil Kumar.

An ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh will be given to the family members of each person killed in the tragedy, confirmed the district magistrate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his condolences to the family members of the deceased. The PM took to twitter to express his grief and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He also said that the authorities are extending all necessary help to the people hit by the unfortunate incident. 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also condoled the death and asked the local administration to carry out rescue operations and provide the injured with proper medical facilities.

According to the police, the tragedy happened during the 'haldi' ceremony of the wedding. Many women had assembled on and around the well to attend the ritual when the slab covering the well failed to take the weight and it collapsed.