Agar Malwa (MP)/Bhubaneswar: Eight people, including seven members of a family from Odisha, died after their car fell into a drain in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district early Saturday, officials said.
The eighth person was the car driver, who was a resident of Madhya Pradesh.
The accident occurred near the Bagulamukhi temple in Nalkheda town, around 30 km from the district headquarters, Nalkheda police station in-charge Shashi Upadhyay said.
He said that the car with devotees from Odisha fell into the drain, which was overflowing with rainwater, and the occupants, including three children and two women, died.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Odia tourists in an accident in Madhya Pradesh. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May the departed souls rest in peace,” Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said in a post on X.
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The chief minister has directed officials to coordinate with the Madhya Pradesh government and local administration to expedite all procedures and ensure the mortal remains are brought back to Odisha with due dignity.
The deceased people were identified as Sibaprasad Behera (43), Rojalin Behera (34), Ritarani Behera (36), Gyanendra Behera (40), Sai Swarna Prava Behera (6), Krishna Rajbir (13), Sai Swastik Behera (10), officials said in Bhubaneswar. The identity of the driver is not yet known.
As per the chief minister’s instruction, the state government is in close contact with its Madhya Pradesh counterpart, said Pritish Panda, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of the Directorate of Odisha Paribar.
The Odisha Paribar is a government body created to connect with Non-Resident Odias.
“Our chief secretary (Anu Garg) already talked to her counterpart in MP, and efforts are underway to bring back the mortal remains of the Odia tourists,” Panda said.
