11 Dead in MP's Well Tragedy, PM Announces Ex-Gratia of Rs 2 Lakh

Video Producer: Shohini Bose

Video Editor: Vivek Gupta

Eleven bodies were recovered in a rescue operation in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha district, where 30 people had fallen into a well on Thursday, 15 July.

State Minister Vishwas Sarang, on 17 July, informed that the rescue operation is now over.

Nineteen people have been rescued from the well, Sarang told news agency ANI.

Those rescued have suffered minor injuries, and five people have been admitted to the hospital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the kin of the dead.

"Anguished by the tragedy in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh. My condolences to the bereaved families. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF (Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives," PM Modi wrote on Twitter.

The locals had met with the accident while attempting to save a child, who had fallen into the well earlier. The cover of the well reportedly collapsed under the weight of the villagers, NDTV reported.

"Land here is prone to subsidence, it's happening again and again. It'll be difficult to say the exact toll until the operation concludes," Sarang told ANI.

In addition to Sarang, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) were present at the site, along with several officials of the police force.

Chief Minister Chouhan took to Twitter to express his condolences for the deceased. He has announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for the next of the kin of the deceased, and a compensation of Rs 50,000 to each of the injured, who will also be provided free medical treatment.

गंजबासौदा में हुई दुर्घटना में अब तक दो लोगों के निधन की दुःखद सूचना मिली है, उनके शव निकाले जा चुके हैं। मैं उन्हें श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित करता हूँ और ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता हूँ कि वे दिवंगत आत्माओं को शांति दें। बचावकार्य अभी जारी है, मैं लगातार मॉनिटरिंग कर रहा हूँ।

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) July 15, 2021

The CM has also called for a high-level inquiry into the matter. "I am in continuous touch with the officials present at the site of the accident and am monitoring the rescue operations actively," he had said.

(With inputs from ANI and NDTV.)