At least 13 die after falling into well in India

Tragedy occurred during a wedding celebration in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh

At least thirteen women including nine girls died after the slab they were sitting on to cover a well collapsed during a wedding ceremony in northern India. Photo: Kushinagar Police

At least 13 women and children died after falling into a deep well during a wedding in northern India on Wednesday evening.

The victims were among more than two dozen people who were sitting on a metal well cover that broke under their weight in Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh state.

Other guests at the ceremony drained the water from the well and managed to rescue some of them but 11 died on their way to the hospital, police said.

“The death toll has risen to 13 after two women succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. They all had fallen into the well after the metal slab gave in due to their weight,” Piyoosh Kant Rai, a police officer, told The National.

The victims were aged between one and 35. Television footage showed relatives, still in their wedding finery, mourning the deaths.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted on Twitter.

“The accident in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching. I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this,” Mr Modi tweeted.

The local magistrate, S Rajalingam, said families of the victims would be paid compensation of 400,000 rupees ($5,330).