Women, children among 13 dead in India's UP after falling into well

Thirteen people, comprising seven women and six girls, died after accidentally falling into a well during wedding celebrations at a village in Kushinagar district in India's Uttar Pradesh last night.

The incident occurred at around 8.30pm on Wednesday in Kushinagar's Nebua Naurangia when a slab of a well, on which some people were sitting during a wedding-related ritual, broke due to heavy load, according to police.

Some women and girls had assembled on and around a covered well for 'Haldi' ritual, called 'matkodva' in Nebua Naurangia area of Kushinagar. The slab failed to withstand the weight of the women and caved in, with several women falling inside the 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," S Rajalingam, district magistrate of Kushinagar, told reporters. "An ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh will be given to the kin of the deceased."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wished the injured a speedy recovery and said the local authorities were doing everything possible to help.

"The incident at Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh is heartbreaking. I convey my deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this. At the same time, I wish the injured a speedy recovery. The local administration is doing everything possible to help," the Prime Minister tweeted in Hindi.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also condoled the deaths and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

"The death of the villagers in an unfortunate incident at Village Naurangia School Tola in District Kushinagar is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with the bereaved families of the deceased. Wishing Lord Shri Ram a speedy recovery to the injured," he tweeted.

Disclaimer: The headline has been modified