A late-night return from a family outing ended in tragedy in Maharashtra, where nine members of a single family, including six children, were killed after their car plunged into a water-filled well in Nashik district.
The accident took place around 11:30 pm on Friday in Dindori taluka, about 40 km from Nashik, when the family was heading back home after attending an annual function.
According to local officials, the family from Indore village had attended a social event at a banquet hall in Shivajinagar. After the function, Sunil Dattatreya Dargode was driving the family back when he lost control of the vehicle.
The car veered off the road and fell into a nearby well filled with water, leaving little chance for escape.
Emergency teams rushed to the spot soon after the incident. Police, local administration, fire brigade, disaster management teams and later the NDRF were involved in the rescue effort.
However, the well being completely filled with water made the operation difficult. It took hours before the vehicle could be pulled out using cranes.
Nine bodies were recovered from the car, while a separate search operation was launched to locate another girl who had been thrown out of the vehicle and submerged in the well.
Those who died in the accident include Sunil Dattatreya Dargode, 34, his wife Reshma, 30, their daughter Rakhi alias Gunvanti, 10, and nieces Madhuri, 13, and Shravani, 11.
Also among the deceased were Asha Anil Dargode, 32, her son Shreyash, 11, daughter Srishti, 14, and niece Samruddhi, 7.
All the victims belonged to the same extended family, amplifying the scale of the loss.
Witnesses described an emotional scene as the bodies were recovered late into the night. Several of the children were still dressed in costumes they had worn for the event, leaving rescuers and locals in tears.
Dindori police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the accident.
Initial indications point to loss of control by the driver, though further details are awaited.
Source: India Today