Eight persons, including three children and two women, died after a car carrying devotees from Odisha fell into a rain-swollen drain near the Bagulamukhi temple in Nalkheda town in Madhya Pradesh's Agar Malwa district in the early hours of Saturday, police said.
Accident and rescue
The incident occurred at about 1.30am near the temple, around 30 km from the district headquarters, according to Nalkheda police station in-charge Shashi Upadhyay. The vehicle went off the road and was swept into a drain that was overflowing with rainwater, officials said.
District Collector Sher Singh Meena, Superintendent of Police Dilip Kumar Soni and Additional Superintendent of Police Ravindra Kumar Boyat reached the scene following the accident. With assistance from the administration and local residents, the car was tied with ropes and pulled out using a crane, after which the bodies were taken to the Civil Hospital for post mortem examination.
Victims and identity
The occupants included three children, two women and three men. The driver, identified as Arun Goyal, a resident of Sudwas near Barod, also died. Officials said the passengers had hired a taxi from Ujjain to visit the Bagulamukhi Mata Temple and were returning home when the vehicle was swept away.
The deceased have been identified by officials as residents of Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The names released by local authorities are:
| Relationship / Note | Name |
|---|---|
| Family member | Radha Rani Behera |
| Family member | Shiva Prasad Banmali Behera |
| Child | Krishna Rajveer (son of Shiva Prasad) |
| Child / alias | Sena alias Son Purva |
| Family member | Gyanendra Kumar Behera |
| Family member | Shiva Prasad Behera |
| Family member | Rita Rani (wife of Gyanendra Behera) |
| Driver | Arun Goyal |
Administrative response and aid
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav directed officials to provide ₹4 lakh assistance and to extend all possible help to the bereaved families, a district official said. The Prime Minister expressed grief over the loss and announced an assistance of ₹2 lakh each, according to official reports.
Odisha authorities moved quickly to coordinate with their Madhya Pradesh counterparts to ensure identification and repatriation of the bodies. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi conveyed condolences and instructed officials to facilitate arrangements so the mortal remains could be brought back to the state with due dignity.
Investigation and safety concerns
A case has been registered and CCTV footage from the area is being examined as part of the probe, police said. Local people raised concerns about the safety of the drain and demanded comprehensive security arrangements to prevent similar tragedies, particularly during the monsoon when overflow is frequent.
Officials noted the drain was overflowing due to heavy rainfall and initial reports attribute the vehicle leaving the road to alleged driver negligence. Further details will emerge as investigators complete their enquiries and forensic examination of the vehicle and site.
- Time of incident: about 1.30am on Saturday near Bagulamukhi temple, Nalkheda.
- Casualties: eight dead — seven occupants from an Odisha family and the driver.
- Relief announced: ₹4 lakh by MP government; ₹2 lakh each reported from the Prime Minister.
The tragedy highlights hazards faced by pilgrims and tourists travelling on rural roads during heavy rain. Local authorities in flood-prone areas may face renewed calls to improve warning systems, guardrails and drainage management to protect travellers, especially on routes leading to popular temples and seasonal pilgrimage sites.
Further updates are expected as officials complete post mortems and coordinate with families in Odisha for return of the bodies and any official assistance required for last rites.
