Lucknow: In a tragic incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district, 11 people, most of them from the same family, lost their lives after a Bolero vehicle carrying 15 passengers veered off the road and fell into the Saryu canal on Saturday morning.
The accident took place around 10 AM in the Motiganj police station area when the group was on their way to offer prayers at the Prithvinath temple. The vehicle reportedly lost control and skidded into the canal, trapping those inside.
Eyewitnesses said villagers rushed to the spot after hearing screams for help. Within ten minutes, more locals and police personnel reached the site and began rescue operations. However, the doors of the vehicle were jammed shut, making it extremely difficult to rescue the passengers.
"People inside were struggling and gasping for air as the car began to sink," a local resident said. Eventually, rescuers broke the windows and pulled everyone out. CPR was administered to all victims on the spot, but eight were declared dead immediately. Four others were rushed to the hospital in a critical condition. One person survived without serious injuries.
A teenage girl who survived the accident recounted the horrifying moments: “We were all singing devotional songs on our way to the temple. Suddenly, the vehicle skidded and plunged into the canal. Everything turned blurry after that. I don’t remember anything clearly.”
Over 100 police personnel from three police stations are involved in the ongoing rescue and recovery operation. Authorities said all possible efforts are being made to ensure the injured receive timely medical care and to retrieve the bodies of those who are still missing, if any.
District officials have expressed condolences and assured compensation to the families of the deceased. The cause of the vehicle losing control is still under investigation.
