As many as seven people died after an Eco van ferrying 11 members of a family was swept away by a strong current in a rain-swollen drain near Padana on the Pachore-Sarangpur road in Madhya Pradesh's Rajgarh district on Monday morning.
Van pulled out with the help of a crane
Rescue teams have recovered seven bodies so far, while a search operation is underway for the ones still missing. All the recovered bodies have been brought to Sarangpur, according to officials. In the aftermath of the incident, state Chief Minister (CM) Dr Mohan Yadav expressed his condolences in a social media post, describing the deaths in the rain-related accident as “extremely tragic”.
MP CM Dr Mohan Yadav
He said he had directed officials to provide ₹4 lakh as solatium to the family of each deceased person. CM Dr Yadav also said the search for those still missing was continuing and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families.
11 members of a family were travelling together
According to preliminary information, all 11 occupants of the van belonged to the same family from Dhansad village in Dewas district's Satwas tehsil. They were reportedly travelling from Satwas to Kadlawad village when the vehicle met with the accident.
The family is said to belong to the Banjara community. The tragedy has left the village mourning as relatives await further information about the missing members. Two occupants, identified as Mukesh and Hukum, managed to escape from the vehicle and survived.
Van pulled out with crane
After receiving information about the accident, police and administrative officials reached the spot. Sarangpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Rohit Bamhore and Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Arvind Singh inspected the site.
Rescue personnel used a crane to pull the Eco van out of the drain. No bodies were found inside the vehicle, prompting rescuers to expand their search to the drain and surrounding areas.
A still from the spot after the incident
Under-construction bridge suspected to have caused tragedy
The accident occurred at the Jhirri drain near Padana, where a roughly 30-foot-long bridge is under construction.
Heavy rain had caused water to flow over the unfinished bridge. A preliminary probe by police suggests the driver may not have noticed the incomplete structure and drove the vehicle into the water. The strong current then swept the van into the drain.
Local resident Mahendra Parmar said he had warned the driver against proceeding because water had accumulated ahead. According to Parmar, the water was knee-deep on the road, but the driver continued despite the warning.
With no roadside railing in place, the vehicle reportedly plunged directly into the drain.
Minister, MLA express grief
Bagli MLA Murli Bhanwara expressed profound grief over the tragedy and said Minister Gautam Tetwal had reached the hospital. He added that CM Dr Yadav had also been informed about the incident.
The administration has assured the affected family of all possible assistance.
Search operation underway
Rescue teams and district authorities remain engaged in the search for those still missing. Personnel are conducting a search operation in the drain and nearby areas. The accident has also raised questions over safety arrangements at the unfinished bridge, particularly the absence of adequate barriers and warnings during heavy rainfall.