At least 22 pilgrims, all women and children, were killed and more than two dozen severely injured Saturday when a tractor trolley overturned and fell into a pond in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district, said news agency PTI.
The tractor, with 50 people on board, was returning from Chandrika Devi temple in Unnao when the tragedy struck near Ghatampur area in Kanpur.
The injured have been moved to a local hospital and the police and locals are involved in rescue operations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed anguish over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families who have lost a member in the accident. The injured will be given a financial assistance of Rs 50,000.
Distressed by the tractor-trolley mishap in Kanpur. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their near and dear ones. Prayers with the injured. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 1, 2022
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth too mourned the loss of lives and has sent senior ministers Rakesh Sachan and Ajit Pal to the accident site to oversee the relief-and-rescue measures.
Soon after the incident, the Chief Minister has appealed to people to not use a tractor trolley for transport purposes. A tractor trolley shold be used for agricultural work and to transfer goods, he said.
The chief minister is personally monitoring the rescue operation, a government spokesperson said in Lucknow.
