In a tragic incident, at least 22 people, including several women and children, died on Saturday after a tractor-trolley overturned and plunged into a pond in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj district, reports PTI.
Police said that people travelling in the trolley were from Jaithara village in UP’s Etah district and were heading towards Kadarganj for a dip in the Ganga river when the accident took place on the Patiyali-Dariyavganj road near Gadhai village in Kasganj district.
Authorities said that around 20 people were hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the incident.
Kasganj District Magistrate Sudha Verma told news agency ANI, “Some devotees from Etah were travelling to Kasganj this morning, when the trolley overturned. Some 25-30 people were seated in the trolley when the accident took place.”
Chief Medical Officer of Kasganj, Rajiv Agrawal said that there were 22 reported deaths in the accident.
Locals said that the accident took place because the tractor trolley was driving at high speed.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the deaths.
In a post on X, Adityanath said, “The loss of lives in a road accident in Kasganj district is extremely heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families. District administration officials have been instructed to provide proper free treatment to all the injured. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant peace to the departed souls and speedy recovery to the injured.”