Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa in which seven pilgrims from Odisha were killed.
“The mishap in Agar Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, is extremely painful. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” PM Modi posted on X.
The victims included the owner of a well-known dhaba and his family members and relatives, hailing from Jayadev Vihar in Bhubaneswar. The deceased have been identified as Shivprasad Behera, Rosalin Behera, Geetarani Behera, Gyanendra Behera, Saiswarna Prabha Behera, Krishna Rajvir and Saiswatik Behera. They had visited Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain and were heading to Maa Baglamukhi Temple in Nalkheda town when their vehicle was caught in a strong current while attempting to cross a flooded drain. The eighth victim was the driver, an employee of a local travel agency.
Preliminary findings indicated that the driver may have tried to cross the overflowing drain hastily amid the powerful current, leading the vehicle, a Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, to be carried away. Heavy rainfall over the preceding days, with about 37 mm recorded in the area in the previous 24 hours, had caused streams and roads to overflow. The car was recovered after the water levels receded on Saturday morning during a rescue operation by administrative officials and local teams. All eight occupants were found trapped inside the submerged vehicle and declared dead. Identification documents and personal belongings recovered from the car helped confirm the victims’ identities.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
According to sources, the family had travelled to Ujjain on the evening of September 16 and was expected to return around September 21. Relatives said the tragedy struck as the family was also preparing to host an engagement ceremony for one of their daughters in the coming days.
Weeping at his home, elderly father Banamali Behera expressed utter disbelief over the tragedy, lamenting that he had lost everything. “They set off on their pilgrimage to Mahakaleshwar filled with joy and devotion to pray for the family. We first learned about it from the news, then reached out to friends in Madhya Pradesh who confirmed the worst. In a single moment, our whole world fell apart. Shivprasad’s sister, whose wedding date was just finalised, was among those killed. The government is now doing everything possible to bring their bodies back,” a grief-stricken relative shared.
Expressing deep solidarity and support, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das and Chief Minister’s Office representative Khitish Swain visited the family of the deceased. They offered their condolences to elderly Banamali Behera and other grieving relatives. “It is a deeply tragic event; the family of Vinod Behera, including his son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, daughter, son-in-law, and another unmarried daughter whose wedding was upcoming, had traveled to Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday night to visit the Mahakal temple. They were scheduled to return this Tuesday, but tragically, the entire family perished. While the exact details of the accident are still being confirmed, local authorities have verified their deaths. We are coordinating with the local District Collector’s office and the Chief Secretary’s office; officials and an RI have arrived, and our local MLA was also present. We have discussed the matter and forwarded all details. The local police and District Collector have initiated the postmortem process. Efforts are being made to transport the bodies back today; otherwise, they will be sent tomorrow morning,” Das told the media.
Sources further stated that officials are coordinating directly with the local administration in Madhya Pradesh to arrange dedicated ambulances to return the mortal remains to Bhubaneswar for the final rites.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had directed officials to coordinate with the Madhya Pradesh government and local administration to expedite all necessary procedures and ensure that the mortal remains are brought back to Odisha with due dignity. “The state government stands firmly with the bereaved families in this hour of grief,” he said.
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also mourned the deaths, conveying his deepest condolences and praying for the eternal peace of the departed souls.
(With inputs from ANI)