Bhopal: Vijaya Dashami turned into a nightmare for devotees in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.
At least 12 people, including children and young girls, died after tractor-trolleys carrying idols of Durga and her children fell into the water in two separate incidents.
The first mishap took place in Pandhana area of Khandwa district when the trolley overturned into a pond.
According to officials, around 20-25 people from Ardla and Jamli villages were travelling in the tractor-trolley for immersion. The tractor, parked on a culvert near a pond, suddenly lost balance and overturned, throwing the passengers into the water.
Rescue teams were rushed to the site, but they couldn’t save the helpless children and young girls, who couldn’t swim ashore and met a watery grave.
Ten bodies have been pulled out of the water so far, but police said the toll could rise as several others are feared trapped.
Major tragedy during Durga idol immersion in southwestern MP\’s Khandwa district. Tractor trolley plunges into a pond-cum-small dam in Khandwa\’s Pandhana area. Ten bodies retrieved so far. Rescue teams searching for more. @santwana99 @NewIndianXpress @jayanthjacob pic.twitter.com/OgAggOirWN
\— Anuraag Singh (@anuraag\_niebpl) October 2, 2025
Some of those injured who managed to come out of water sustained injuries and have been shifted to Khandwa district hospital.
Superintendent of Police Manoj Rai, who reached the accident site, confirmed the death of 10 people. Eyewitnesses said the trolley was overcrowded, which led to the accident.
In a separate incident, 2 persons lost their lives and four others were injured when another tractor-trolley with devotees overturned into Chambal river during Durga idol immersion, at Ingoria in Ujjain district.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief and announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the victims’ families.
“The accidents that occurred during the Durga immersion ceremony in Jamli village of Khandwa and the Ingoria police station area near Ujjain are extremely tragic. I express my condolences to the bereaved families. Instructions have been given to provide Rs 4 lakh each as compensation to the next of kin of the deceased, and to provide proper treatment to the injured at the nearest hospital. I pray to Goddess Durga for the speedy recovery of all the injured and for strength to the bereaved families,” the CM wrote in a post on X.
