At least three women lost their lives, and around 18 others were injured after a tractor trolley carrying devotees overturned and plunged into a canal in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district on Wednesday night, police said.
The accident occurred at around 8 pm on Wednesday near the Siswa regulator under the jurisdiction of Khadda police station. According to officials, the trolley was carrying nearly 25 devotees at the time of the incident.
Police said the group was travelling from Mamkhor Barhara village in the Ghughli area of Maharajganj district to attend the Chaitra Ram Navami Varni fair at Bhaisaha Ghat when the mishap took place.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the accident occurred after the hook connecting the trolley to the tractor broke, causing the vehicle to overturn and fall into the Gandak canal.
A total of 21 people sustained injuries and were rushed to Kushinagar Medical College for treatment. Doctors declared Meera Devi (57) dead on arrival. Two other women—Kismati Devi (51) and Nirmala (45)—later succumbed to their injuries during treatment, taking the death toll to three.
Khadda Station House Officer Sandeep Singh said that some passengers managed to jump off the trolley in time, thereby saving their lives.
The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination, while the injured continue to receive treatment.
Police have initiated a detailed investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.
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