11 killed, 17 missing as tractor trolley falls into deep drain

Balrampur (UP), Oct 23: At least 11 puja revellers, five of them children, were killed and 17 others missing after the tractor trolley on which they were travelling fell off a bridge into a deep drain in the district here.

According to police, the tragedy occurred near Bela village. Altogether, 32 people were travelling in the vehicle, police said, adding that 17 of them are missing. Efforts are on to trace them, they said.

Police said that the group of people from Trikonia and surrounding areas were returning from Durga immersion last night when the mishap took place on the bridge across Kharjhar drain in the Mahrajganj police station area.

The vehicle overturned and fell into the drain below. The bodies of Sonu (1), Dashrath (6), Puja (8), Chandraprakash (8), Lavkush (9) and Shankar (16) and five others have been fished out of the drain. Four persons were rescued by the locals, they said.

District Magistrate Preeti Shukla said divers have been deployed in the rescue operation and assistance was also being taken from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel.

PTI