Rajgarh, August 10: Nine individuals, including a young girl, lost their lives after a passenger van carrying eleven people was carried off by swift currents while attempting to navigate an overflowing drain in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district.
The tragic incident occurred around 9 AM near Sarangpur town as the vehicle attempted to negotiate the flooded Padana bypass culvert following torrential rainfall across the region. Two occupants managed to swim to safety despite the powerful surge.
Prior to the vehicle entering the flooded passage, local administrative personnel and bystanders stationed near the culvert cautioned the driver against attempting the dangerous crossing. The driver proceeded into the inundated roadway, where the vehicle was overwhelmed by torrents within moments.
Local villagers initiated immediate rescue efforts using secured ropes to pull trapped occupants from the submerged vehicle before authorities arrived. Emergency responders subsequently recovered nine bodies from the site.
Addressing the incident, Sarangpur SDOP Arvind Singh stated, “Rivers and drains were overflowing due to heavy rains on Monday.”
Detailing the sequence of events, Singh declared, “The driver carelessly drove the van into the strong current of the drain on the road near the Padana bypass, and it sank in no time, killing nine people.” Police confirmed that an official case has been registered at the Sarangpur police station to investigate the matter.
