Thirteen women and girls died after accidentally falling down a well during marriage celebrations in northern India, police said Thursday.
For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The victims were sitting on an iron slab covering the well on Wednesday when it gave way, senior police officer Akhil Kumar told reporters in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh state.
District magistrate S. Rajalingam said the well was old and could not take the weight of those sitting on the covering.
“The victims fell down and were crushed under the debris,” he said.
The women and children had gathered to take part in a marriage ritual in their village.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the accident was “heart-wrenching.”
“The local administration is involved in all possible help,” he tweeted.
Indian weddings are often grand affairs with huge numbers of guests and lavish ceremonies that run for several days.
In 2017, 24 wedding revelers were killed in the northwestern state of Rajasthan when a wall crashed down on them during a storm.
Read more:
Rescuers battle to save boy trapped down Afghan well
Morocco to map makeshift wells after Rayan tragedy
Moroccans say farewell to boy who died in well: ‘The son of us all’
