Eleven Pilgrims, Including Nine from One Family, Die as SUV Plunges into Canal in Gonda
A tragic accident in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district claimed the lives of 11 pilgrims, including nine members of a single family, when their SUV veered off the road and fell into the Saryu canal near Belwa Bahuta in the Itiyathok area on Sunday. Four other passengers were rescued with injuries and are currently undergoing treatment, police officials confirmed.
As per agency report, the victims were en route from Sihagawan village under Motiganj police station limits to offer sacred water at the renowned Prithvinath temple in Khargupur when the incident occurred. The SUV, carrying 15 people including the driver, lost control due to slippery road conditions caused by ongoing rainfall and plunged into the canal.
Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal stated that the deceased included six women, two men, and three children. The rescue operation involved local residents, the police, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), who retrieved the bodies from the submerged vehicle and transported the injured to a nearby hospital for treatment. The deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination, and an investigation into the accident has been initiated.
The victims were identified as Bina (44), her daughters Kajal (22) and Mahak alias Rinki (12), her brother-in-law Ram Karan (36), his wife Ansuya (34), their children Saumya (9) and Shubh (7), another brother-in-law Ramroop’s wife Durgesh Nandini (35) and son Amit (14), along with their neighbor’s wife Sanju (26) and her sister Gudia alias Anju (20). The injured survivors include Bina’s son Satyam, daughter Pinky, neighbor Ram Lalan Verma, and the vehicle’s driver Sitaraman.
The state government responded promptly, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressing deep grief over the incident. He announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased and instructed the district administration to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.
In a condolence message posted on social media platform X, the Chief Minister described the loss of lives as heartbreaking and extended his prayers for the peace of the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families. He also hoped for a speedy recovery of the injured.
A witness, Rahul Verma from Itiyathok, said the accident occurred after the driver applied brakes on the slippery road, causing the vehicle to skid and fall into the canal. Local villagers quickly called the police and helped pull the SUV out using ropes.
One of the rescued girls recounted that the group was on its way to the temple, singing devotional songs, when suddenly everything went blank.
Senior officials, including Divisional Commissioner Shashibhushan Lal Sushil, District Magistrate Priyanka Niranjan, Chief Development Officer Ankita Jain, and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ashok Kumar Gupta visited the hospital to check on the condition of the injured and instructed doctors to provide all necessary medical assistance.
The incident has cast a shadow of mourning across the region, highlighting the need for heightened safety measures on rain-affected rural roads.
