13 people died in Kushinagar after falling into a well

In the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, at least 13 people have died after falling into a well during a wedding ceremony.

The victims, all women and children, were sitting on a metal slab that covered the well when it fell beneath their weight, according to police.

The accident, which occurred in the Kushinagar district, resulted in the injuries of two more people.

The deaths were described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “heartbreaking.”

On Wednesday evening, the tragedy occurred during the customary “haldi” ceremony, in which relatives apply turmeric paste to the bride and groom’s faces as a sign of wealth.

When the slab collapsed, other guests rushed to the victims’ aid and transported them to a nearby hospital. While 11 people were declared dead immediately, two others died later during treatment, police said.

Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, has instructed district officials to assist the victims’ families, and district magistrate S Rajalingam has stated that compensation will be paid.

Muralidhar Singh, a rescuer at the scene in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar area, told the Associated Press that the well was over 50 feet deep.

Police told News on Thursday that the youngest victim was a one-year-old child. According to the

authorities declared 11 individuals dead at the site, while two others died later while being treated.

According to Adityanath’s office, District authorities have announced a compensation of Rs 400,000 ( £3,923) to the families of each victim.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night around 8.30pm in the Nebua Naurangia area of Kushinagar town when wedding guests had gathered for a “haldi” ceremony, a tradition in which relatives apply turmeric paste on the face and body of the bride and groom before the wedding.