Feb 17, 2022: Thirteen women and girls were killed when they accidentally fell into a well during a wedding ceremony in northern India, police said on Thursday.

Senior police officer Akhil Kumar told reporters in Kushi Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, that the victims were sitting on an iron slab covering the well on Wednesday when the covering gave way. District Magistrate S Rajalangam said the well was old and could not carry the weight of the occupants. He said that the victims fell down and were buried under the rubble. Women and children gathered in their village to attend the wedding.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the accident was “heart wrenching”. He tweeted, “Local administration is involved in all possible help.”

In India, weddings are often grand affairs with huge numbers of guests and lavish ceremonies that run for several days.

In 2017, 24 wedding revellers were killed in the northwestern state of Rajasthan when a wall crashed down on them during a storm.

Stay tuned to BaaghiTV for latest news and Updates!