23 killed as tractor trolley overturns, falls into pond
All those in the tractor trolley were heading for a dip in the Ganga in Kasganj on Magh Poornima. According to police, there were more than 30 people in the trolley that overturned at about 10 am on Saturday but if villagers are to be believed, there were more than 50 in the ill-fated vehicle.
Agra Twenty-three people were killed and six injured after a tractor trolley overturned and fell into a pond alongside Patiali-Dariyavganj road under Patiali police station of Kasganj district on Saturday morning, said inspector general (IG), Aligarh Range Shalabh Mathur.
All those in the tractor trolley were heading for a dip in the Ganga in Kasganj on Magh Poornima. According to police, there were more than 30 people in the trolley that overturned at about 10 am on Saturday but if villagers are to be believed, there were more than 50 in the ill-fated vehicle.
“Twenty-three people were killed in a tragic incident when a tractor trolley overturned and fell in a roadside pond. The exact reasons for the mishap are yet to be worked out and the total number of those travelling in the trolley is also yet to be ascertained but prima facie it is believed that there were more than 30 villagers in the trolley,” said IG Mathur.
“About four to six of those rescued but unconscious were admitted to the Kasganj District Hospital . Divers were deployed to trace those who fell in the pond and were missing,” he said .
Half of those dead were women and eight were children .
Those in tractor trolley were mainly from Nagla Kasa village under Jainthra police station of Etah district, besides a few from Banar and Khiria villages of Etah district.
The pond in which the tractor trolley fell had 7 to 8 feet deep water but the sand deposition made things tough for rescuers from nearby villagers who called for JCB by the time police reached the spot. Villagers got down into the the pond holding each other’s hands to trace people trapped in muddy water.
CM announces compensation
Chief minister Yogi Aditya Nath expressed grief over the tragic incident and ordered the officials concerned to rush to the spot to ensure speedy rescue and relief work.
The CM announced monetary compensation of ₹6 lakh to the next of kin of those who died . Earlier in the day, ₹2 lakh was declared as compensation but as the deaths were caused because of drowning defined as a natural calamity, added amount of ₹4 lakh was announced . As such, now the kin of those killed are to get compensation of ₹6 lakh, as per sources with the state government. Every injured person will get ₹50,00 .
