INDORE: Celebrations of Vijayadashami turned tragic on Thursday evening when 11 individuals, predominantly teenagers, drowned following an accident involving a tractor-trolley transporting devotees for Durga idol immersion in Ardala village, Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh.
The incident occurred as the tractor-trolley, which was carrying approximately 20-25 people, lost its balance and overturned into a nearby pond. Officials reported that a local kotwar had warned the driver against entering the water body, but the caution was disregarded. Eyewitness accounts suggest the vehicle may have hit a stone while reversing, leading to the overturning and throwing all occupants into the water. While some people managed to swim to safety, 11 could not be rescued, according to Khandwa Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Siddharth Bahuguna.
The deceased included seven females, with eight minors among them. In response to the tragedy, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed condolences for the loss of life and announced an ex gratia payment of ₹4 lakh to the families of those who died.
Rescue operations were initiated promptly, with police, local administration, and community teams mobilizing to the scene. A JCB machine was deployed to retrieve the tractor-trolley. By 6 PM, authorities had recovered 10 bodies, and after a diligent three-hour search, the final missing victim—a girl aged eight—was found around 8:45 PM.
Three additional individuals were transported to the hospital, with one reported in critical condition while the others are stable.
